The Last Bearers: Revised Edition
by thegreatwhitewolf
Summary: On his thirteenth birthday, Roxas a new life at The Institute, a safe haven for Bearers. Things are complicated by Axel, Roxas's cold and uncaring mate. But as it turns out, Axel is the least of his worries. AU. Yaoi. Mpreg. AkuRoku, Zemyx.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this.

Chapter 1

2000AA1

Roxas did not know the men who came to his house, though he knew why they were there. He had been branded a Bearer—a male capable of having children. The number of Bearers in the world was now less than a hundred. Their kind was a dying breed.

Long ago, the rest of humanity had been led to believe that the Bearers had all died out. The few Bearers left founded The Institute, a state-of-the-art facility designed to give them a safe place to repopulate. For a time, it seemed to work; the number of Bearers in the world had tripled. Now, however, their numbers were rapidly dropping again, and they were on the brink of extinction.

The few Bearers left spent the first years of their life with a foster family on the outside and then on their thirteenth birthday returned to The Institute where they were carefully bred with another male to try and bring up their numbers. Roxas had known this day would come, when he would be called back to The Institute to begin his duties as a Bearer.

"It's time to go," one of the men told him.

"I know," Roxas responded quietly.

He had said good-bye to his foster parents at breakfast; both of them had been called into work and would not be there to see Roxas off. There was nothing left for him to do except leave. Sighing quietly, Roxas pulled on a light jacket.

"Are you ready?" the man Roxas understood to be the leader asked.

"Yes," Roxas answered with a nod.

He followed the men out of the house, making sure the door was securely closed and locked, and the key was carefully hidden under the welcome mat, before trudging to a waiting car. It was a black sedan with heavily tinted windows so no one could see either in or out of it. One of the men held the door open for him and he slid into the back. He was joined by the other men who never said a word.

The city where Roxas had grown up had never looked as beautiful as it did now. He felt tears in his eyes and pushed them back, angry with himself for losing control of his emotions. He was a Bearer now and he needed to start acting like one.

They soon left the city and entered the countryside. The sprawling meadows turned to gentle rolling hills. Roxas, who had never once left the city he had grown up in, stared interestedly out the rolled-down window at this change in scenery. Water from an earlier gentle spring rain dripped from the leaves of the trees and the sweet after-rain perfume filled the car.

At last, they came to a large, sprawling estate guarded by a tall gate. The car stopped in front of the gate and the driver spoke to someone over an intercom. A few seconds later, the gates automatically opened and the car entered. They traveled down a long gravel driveway and then finally stopped in front of a large white building that seemed to stretch for miles. One of the men opened the door for Roxas and he crawled out.

Roxas couldn't help feeling nervous as they went into the building. He found that they were in what looked like a reception area in a hospital. There was a TV hanging from the ceiling with some news channel on, uncomfortable-looking chairs made of plastic set up in rows, tables with old magazines on them, and a young, but plain-looking receptionist with strawberry blonde hair pinned back behind her head, sitting behind a desk, looking extremely bored. One of the men went to the desk and talked to the receptionist in a low tone. Then, he returned and motioned for Roxas to sit in a vacant chair.

"Someone will be with you shortly," he said gruffly.

He and the other men left. Roxas fidgeted nervously and looked around the room. It was deserted except for the receptionist, who never said a word. He didn't know how much time had gone by when a stern-looking nurse came out of a door next to where the receptionist sat and told him to come with her. She was in her forties with blonde hair pulled into a tight bun at the back of her neck and light grey eyes. They went down the whitewashed corridors and stopped in front of a scale.

"Shoes off, please, and step onto the scale," she said crisply.

Roxas obeyed without question. She marked down his weight on a clipboard she carried with her, then measured his height, and marked that down as well. Then, they went into a small examination room and he sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair next to the door.

Looking around, Roxas could see a table in the corner with some sort of a thin paper covering it for sanitary reasons, cabinets over the counter for the doctor's use, and a desk next to the chair he occupied with another chair that the nurse sat in. There were graphic posters depicting various parts of the human body plastered on the walls, which were painted a faint yellow color.

"What is your name?" the nurse asked.

"Roxas," Roxas mumbled, shifting slightly in his seat under the nurse's frown.

"How old are you, Roxas?"

"I just turned thirteen."

"Today?"

"Yes."

The questioning went on—his health history, allergies, and so on. The nurse took his temperature, blood pressure, and pulse, and recorded them on her clipboard. Then, she went to a drawer beneath the examination table and pulled out a flimsy paper gown.

"Take off all your clothes—even your underclothes, and put this on. The doctor will be in shortly," she said, tossing the gown at him.

She left, closing the door softly behind her. Trembling slightly, Roxas stripped off all his clothes and put the gown on. It was as flimsy as it looked, made out of the thinnest paper imaginable. He shivered as he sat on the chair, trying hard not to move too much and rip the paper gown while he waited.

There was a sharp knock on the door and the doctor came in, carrying a manila folder with him. He was around forty or so, Roxas guessed. He had long blonde hair and pale green eyes. His rather pointed chin gave him the appearance of a child molester.

"Hello. Roxas, I presume?" he asked, sitting in a chair across from Roxas, and setting the folder on the desk.

"Yes," Roxas replied.

"I'm Dr. Vexen. I'm going to do a physical examination so if you could go lay on the table for me," he said, motioning to the table in the corner.

Roxas did as he was told. Dr. Vexen pulled on a pair of rubber gloves and examined every inch of his body. Finally, he spread Roxas's legs apart and put a finger inside him, causing him to jerk upwards and blush.

"Yes, everything looks all right. It seems you are good to go," Dr. Vexen said, withdrawing his finger. "You already know about the Breeders?"

"Yes," Roxas mumbled as he sat up, embarrassed that the older doctor had touched him like that, doctor or not.

"Good." Dr. Vexen peeled off his gloves and disposed of them in a rubbish bin on the far side of the room. "All you need to know for now is that your mate's name is Axel. Don't forget that name, okay?"

"Okay," Roxas responded.

"You will be bound to him, though not for a while. Your body needs to reach sexual maturity first, which happens during your fourteenth year. Then, your physical bond with your mate will begin, which will last a lifetime."

Roxas nodded. He did not notice Dr. Vexen rubbing his arm with a cotton ball.

"We'll be in touch later," Dr. Vexen said.

He stuck a needle into Roxas's arm and injected something into his body. Roxas yelped, but it seemed to be ignored. The room started spinning around. He put his hand to his forehead and tried to steady himself, but fell back. A pair of strong arms caught him and gently laid him on the table. Everything blurred together and the voices he heard were strangely distorted.

"Take him into OR three. I just want to make sure there's nothing wrong with him before we let him go with the others," a man said.

"Yes, doctor," a woman responded.

A blurred image of the same stern-looking nurse as before appeared over him.

"Just relax," she said soothingly, pressing a mask to his nose and mouth. "Don't try and fight. Everything's going to be all right."

Roxas fought as hard as he could to try and keep his eyes open, but eventually, he was overpowered, and felt himself drifting away.

Author's Notes

Well, this has been a project long in the making. A while back, I decided that I was very unhappy with The Last Bearers so I decided to rewrite it and then repost it. I'm still rewriting it, in fact, but I decided that I wanted to start working on the fanfiction version of this. Things are…a lot different this time. It'll become clear just how different things are as they story progresses. But I think it's a lot better this time. And I swear I'm going to work hard to make sure there are no errors this time.

Updates will be coming at random, whenever I feel like working on this. Sometimes I might actually get a couple chapters posted. Other times, updates won't come for a while. It just depends on what I feel like doing. And, of course, getting the original version finished will be my priority. But once that's done, this will be the priority. So far, I'm planning for there to be 42 chapters and I'm hoping to reach over 100,000 words. So…yeah.

1 AA stands for "after apocalypse" and refers to the destruction of the Earth and the rebirth of the human race through the twins Hayden and Harou. 2000AA means that 2,000 years have passed since these events took place.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this.

Chapter 2

Roxas woke to the sound of voices.

"Huh? There's a boy there. He wasn't there before."

"Way to point out the obvious."

"Shut up. Who do you think he is?"

"I'm not sure."

"He's awfully quiet."

"Well, duh. They gave him a tranquilizer to keep him calm. It's standard procedure."

"He's waking up."

"Again, way to point out the obvious."

A soft groan escaped from Roxas's lips. He forced his eyes open. All he was able to see was a tangle of blurry images. Something moved closer to him. He blinked and the thing came into sharp focus. It was a boy, his face mostly hidden by shadows.

"Hey," the boy said in a gentle voice. "You all right?"

"Where am I?" Roxas asked, rubbing his forehead to try and clear his brain.

"The Bearers' dormitory," the boy answered.

"What happened to me?" Roxas groaned.

"They gave you a tranquilizer to keep you calm while they moved you here. Don't worry; it'll wear off soon. Do you think you can get up?" the boy said.

"I can try," Roxas replied.

He slowly moved forward. The world swirled around him and he had to close his eyes or else he was going to be sick.

"Are you okay?" the boy asked in a concerned tone.

Roxas nodded, though he kept his eyes closed. He took a couple deep breaths and then finally opened his eyes.

"What do you feel like?" the boy questioned.

"Like I was run over by a truck," Roxas answered grimly.

The boy chuckled. "Yeah, that's definitely the tranquilizer. Besides that, what do you feel like?"

"Dizzy," Roxas whispered. "Every time I move I feel like I'm going to throw up."

"Move slowly," the boy advised. "Here, let me help you."

Roxas felt a hand gently grasp his arm and slowly guide him. With the boy's help, he was able to crawl forward, into the light.

He immediately blinked as he was met by blinding fluorescent lights that made his head ache. He raised his free hand to shield his eyes until they had a chance to adjust.

When at last he was able to lower his hand, he saw that he was in some sort of a dormitory. There were bunk beds scattered around the room, though all of them were currently empty.

Roxas turned to look at his companion. He was a year or two older than Roxas with the blondest hair Roxas had ever seen.

The boy saw Roxas staring at his hair and smiled. "This isn't my natural hair color, just so you know. I dyed it, thanks to that idiot over there."

He pointed to his companion, a cheerful-looking boy with long blonde-brown hair styled as something that looked halfway between a mullet and a Mohawk. The boy responded with a rude gesture involving the middle finger.

The first boy simply rolled his eyes. "Yeah, real mature, Demyx." He turned back to Roxas. "That, as you might have guessed, is Demyx. And I'm Zexion."

"I'm Roxas," Roxas supplied softly.

"Welcome to The Institute," Zexion said with a smile.

Demyx peered at Roxas curiously. "Wow, you're really pretty."

Zexion smacked him upside the head.

"Ow, what the hell was that for, Zex?" Demyx protested, rubbing his head.

"Show some tact, moron!" Zexion hissed. To Roxas, he said, "Sorry about him. He can't help being an idiot."

"It's all right," Roxas said, nevertheless blushing at Demyx's comment. "Why did Demyx cause you to dye your hair that color?"

"Oh, we were playing cards and I lost," Zexion answered casually.

"Well it's better than what you had planned for me," Demyx muttered. At Roxas's curious look, he said, "Zexion was going to have me dye my hair hot pink if I lost."

The mental image of Demyx with bright pink hair made Roxas smile.

"What is your natural color?" he asked Zexion curiously.

Zexion smiled mysteriously. "You'll see when my natural hair color starts growing back."

Roxas studied his two companions a little better. Both of them were dressed in plain clothing, the same outfit in fact; a navy blue cotton shirt, a pair of navy blue pants, navy blue socks, and a pair of black ankle-high boots. He looked down and realized that he was wearing the exact same outfit as them, though without the boots. He had no idea how he had gotten into the outfit. Someone must have dressed him, he supposed.

"So, who's your mate?" Demyx asked.

"Axel," Roxas answered.

"Axel?!" Demyx demanded, looking thunderstruck.

"What's wrong?" Roxas asked.

"Are you sure it's Axel?" Zexion asked.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. "Why?"

Zexion and Demyx shared a worried look.

Then, Zexion said, "It's just…Axel is…well…sort of difficult."

Demyx snorted. "That's putting it mildly. He's a cold bastard. Neither him nor any of his friends have been mated and they've been here three years now. They're afraid to mate them with someone because they're…well…rough."

"Rough?" Roxas asked.

"It's easier to show you rather than tell you." Zexion's voice was extremely gentle. "Come on."

He helped Roxas to stand and walked him across the room. The dormitory was as plain as everything else Roxas had seen so far at The Institute. The walls were whitewashed, the carpet was a neutral color, and the bunk beds were all made with a simple metal frame. The bedspreads on all the beds were navy blue. At the end of each bunk bed was a pair of wooden trunks, presumably to keep all their possessions in and two laundry hampers.

They finally came to a glass window that extended from the floor to the ceiling and Roxas could see another dormitory almost identical to theirs on the other side. The major difference between them was that the dormitory on the other side of the glass was inhabited; about twenty or so boys lounged around, some on the beds, and others spread out on the floor.

"Those are the Breeders," Zexion explained at a whisper.

"We're the ones who have the kids," Demyx added. "They're the ones who…um…you know…" he nervously cleared his throat.

Roxas nodded, getting the picture.

"They separate us from our mates until we go into heat. That way, there's no risk of us getting hurt because they can be somewhat on the aggressive side," Zexion said.

"My mate is Riku, over there." Demyx pointed to a boy with bright violet hair. "His hair isn't always that color. He likes to dye it, depending on what his mood is." He paused. "Actually, I'm not sure what his natural color is. And Zex's mate is over there—Saïx." Demyx pointed to a silver-haired boy.

"And over there is Axel and his friends," Zexion said, pointing to a group of four boys in the corner. There was a tawny brown-haired boy, a black-haired boy, a silver-haired boy, and a red headed boy. "Axel is the redhead."

Roxas stared at him, pressing his hand against the glass. Though his back was turned to them, Roxas could still tell that he was a dominant figure. His posture was stiff and formal and it was clear that he was the leader of the small group.

The silver-haired boy noticed Roxas, Zexion, and Demyx were staring at them and tapped Axel on the shoulder. He murmured something in the redhead's ear and Axel turned. Roxas felt his heart skip a beat as Axel looked at him. He couldn't help gasping softly—Axel looked so cold. His piercing green eyes held no warmth at all as they traveled down Roxas's frame, measuring him up. Zexion frowned and Axel glared back at him.

Roxas got the distinct feeling that Axel wasn't going to welcome him warmly. This wasn't going to be good. Not good at all.

Author's Notes

Um…hi? Please don't kill me for not updating for…what is it…nine months? Dang. I just lacked the motivation to work on this for the longest time. But I'm back now! And I have the original completely finished so updates should be coming pretty quickly. I'm going to aim to update this at least once a week, more if I can manage it, though in January I'm planning on going back to school so things might be hectic since I'm going to be both working and going to school. But I will do my best to update this in a timely manner. And also, there will be 42 chapters. I know this for certain and that's not going to change.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Axel lounged in the Breeder's dormitory with his friends, waiting for dinner. Suddenly, Jesse tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey Axel, I hear you got a mate," he sneered in Axel's ear.

"Shut up," Axel snapped.

"He's here if you want a look at him," Sora said.

Axel stared at him. "Really?"

"Yeah." Sora nodded. "He's standing with Riku and Saïx's mates."

Axel rolled over to have a look. It didn't really matter, but he had to admit he was a little curious. There were three Bearers standing at the window, the one with bleached blonde hair was Saïx's mate, the brownish blonde haired one was Riku's mate, and the blonde, he guessed, was his mate.

His mate was slim and pale, his face framed with gold curls tinged with just a hint of red. He had a heart-shaped face, high, narrow cheekbones, long eyelashes, and a thin, almost sensual mouth. The most striking feature about him had to be his eyes. Axel had never seen eyes so blue before. He wasn't terrible to look at, at least.

He stared at Axel curiously, but with a little apprehension. Axel smirked. No doubt his friends had already warned him about Axel's nature. Saïx's mate frowned at him and Axel returned the stare. Then, Saïx's mate put his arm around his mate and led him away from the window, with Riku's mate following behind.

"So what do you think of him?" Sora asked.

"He's really pale and weak-looking, right, Axel?" Jesse sneered.

"I don't know," Sora murmured. "I think he's rather cute."

Axel made a sound of indifference. He couldn't care less about his mate, one way or the other. Sure, the boy was his mate, but that didn't mean Axel had to care about him. He'd just silently tolerate the boy, like he tolerated pretty much everything else at this place.

"Dinner!" one of the guards called.

Axel followed the other Breeders out of their dormitory and into the cafeteria. They patiently waited in line for their food. Tonight's dinner was ravioli. Axel fervently hoped that it was not beef ravioli. Across the room, he watched his mate stand in line behind Saïx's mate.

Sora caught him looking and whispered, "His name is Roxas."

"Like I care," Axel snorted.

Sora looked worried. "You should. He is your mate, after all."

"Don't…call…him…that!" Axel hissed angrily.

"But that's what he is," Sora said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Like it or not, you're stuck together."

Axel grabbed his tray from the person who was handing out food, and angrily stalked across the cafeteria to the table he and his friends usually sat at.

The cafeteria was divided in half, though there was not a formal barrier. The only thing that deferred the Breeders from crossing over to the Bearers' side of the cafeteria was the guards. Each side was identical with an area where the food was distributed and tables scattered around the room, but it was set up so that the areas where the food was distributed were on the opposite sides of the room, as far away from each other as possible.

Next to the food distribution areas was a place where the trays were collected and taken away to be sanitized for reuse. There was a large gap between the two sides where the guards stood, monitoring the Breeders.

Axel prodded at his ravioli and made a face. As he feared, it was beef ravioli. He lifted a forkful to his mouth and tried to swallow it without gagging, silently cursing whoever came up with the menu. He could not help glancing over at Roxas from time to time. He sat at a table in the corner with Saïx and Riku's mates. His lips were pressed together into a sad frown and he delicately picked at his food.

Zexion glanced at Roxas. "Are you feeling okay? You're not eating much."

"I'm not really hungry," Roxas mumbled.

"You need to eat," Zexion encouraged. "You need to keep your strength up."

"I know." Roxas sighed.

He still only picked at his food. After dinner, guided by Zexion and Demyx, he threw his uneaten food in the garbage and stacked his tray with the others to be washed. Then, he trudged back to the dormitory with the others.

Zexion and Demyx stuck close to him as they walked. He saw why when they turned around a corner; the Breeders were being escorted to their dormitory and it was quite close. It was a tense minute. Zexion leaned in and exchanged a few words in a soft tone with the tawny-haired boy who had been with Axel earlier. Roxas couldn't help shivering when he felt Axel's cold green eyes on him. It felt like he had been doused with a bucket of ice water. His friends stared at him coldly too, especially the dark-haired one. Demyx put an arm around Roxas and glared. Axel's lips turned up into a sneer. Then, they were past. None of them spoke until they were in the safety of the dormitory.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Zexion asked, anxiously peering at Roxas. "You're really pale."

"I feel dizzy," Roxas mumbled.

Zexion forced him to sit on the edge of his bed. "Calm down. Take a couple deep breaths and put your head down between your knees."

Roxas quickly obeyed. The mattress sagged slightly as Zexion sat down next to him. He soothingly rubbed Roxas's back. Roxas could feel himself shaking as he tried to regain control of himself. Tears burned at his eyes and fell into his lap. Zexion wrapped his arm around him as he started sobbing quietly.

"It's going to be okay," Zexion said soothingly, but despite his best efforts, Roxas did not stop crying for a long time.

At last, he fell asleep, his head resting in Zexion's lap. Zexion gently stroked his hair.

"So what do you think set him off?" Demyx whispered, sinking onto the bed on Roxas's other side.

"I think it was a combination of homesickness and fear of being in a totally new place," Zexion answered.

Demyx nodded. "It probably didn't help that his mate is a cold bastard."

"Yes," Zexion said. "Hopefully Axel will come around or else we're going to have some problems."

"What do you suppose they were thinking when they made Roxas his mate? I mean, there are a bunch of other guys he could have been mated to, so why Axel? Why the hell are they putting Roxas through this? He doesn't deserve it!" Demyx's voice rose slightly in his anger.

"Shh," Zexion pleaded as Roxas shifted slightly in his lap. "Don't wake Roxas up."

"Sorry." Demyx dropped his voice to a whisper. "So what do you think?"

"I don't know." Zexion shook his head. "They must have had a good reason to put Roxas with Axel instead of someone more suitable. We'll just have to trust their judgment."

"Great," Demyx muttered.

Zexion reached over and took Demyx's hand. He squeezed it lightly. "We'll get through this."

"I know," Demyx said with a smile.

Roxas moved restlessly in his sleep again. Zexion sighed quietly and gently smoothed his hair down.

Author's Notes

I'm sorry! I meant to have this chapter up last week but I just never got around to it. I'll try and have the next chapter posted on Friday which is my normal day for posting (not sure why, that's just the day I chose) but I'm not making any promises. Oh and Roxas's hair is curly in this story. Just go with it, okay?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Roxas woke up the following morning, he was slightly confused. He stared at the bunk above him for a few moments, not fully comprehending where he was, but then, the memories of the previous day flooded back to him and his heart sank. He had hoped it was all a dream and he'd wake up in his own bed at home, but it was real. Roxas gently touched his cheeks. The tears he had shed had long since dried, leaving behind only the memory. He must have cried himself to sleep in Zexion's lap last night; he could vaguely remember Zexion's voice speaking to him, and a warm hand gently rubbing his hair. Color flooded his cheeks as he realized how weak he must have appeared to Zexion and Demyx. So much for a good first impression.

Roxas lay in bed for a few moments longer and then reluctantly crawled out of bed. He temporarily forgot where he was and smacked his head hard on the upper bunk while crawling out. He suppressed the urge to curse and rubbed his aching head. The others were already awake and were in various states of undress. Roxas watched them for a few moments to figure out what he was supposed to be doing.

He opened the trunk on the right, which was labeled with his name, and found that it was filled with various items—everything from pajamas to a shaving kit. Roxas pulled out a fresh pair of clothes and pulled his old ones off. He felt a bit self-conscious about changing in front of the others, but none of them were paying attention to him. Next to his trunk was a hamper that was also labeled with his name. He threw his dirty clothes into the hamper. Then, he heard a familiar voice float across the room.

"Demyx, get up you lazy bum," it said.

Roxas crossed the dormitory and found Zexion bending over one of the lower bunks, shaking its occupant.

"All right, all right already," Demyx's voice huffed from the shadows. I'm up. I'm up."

A few moments later, Demyx appeared looking disheveled. He yawned widely.

"Get moving, you idiot or you're going to miss breakfast," Zexion hissed. "Again."

"I know," Demyx muttered. "You remind me every freaking day."

"I wouldn't have to remind you every day if you actually got up on time," Zexion said scathingly.

"I'm not a morning person. So what?" Demyx said.

"Just get up," Zexion snapped. He turned around and started when he saw Roxas there. "Roxas! You're up!"

"Roxas's up?" Demyx demanded.

He quickly rose and smacked his head hard on the upper bunk. Cursing fluently, he sank back onto his bunk, rubbing his head.

"Serves you right, you idiot," Zexion said with a smirk.

"Fuck you," Demyx muttered.

"Ha, you wish," Zexion said under his breath. He turned to Roxas. "I'm glad to see you're up and about. And you managed to get dressed on your own. That's very good. Breakfast starts in ten minutes and then classes start. The first class is shared with the Breeders. Just so you're aware and don't freak out or anything, some of the Breeders who have some self-control are allowed to interact with us."

"I'm glad you warned me," Roxas said softly. "I probably would have been really shocked."

"Yeah." Zexion smiled. "I was pretty surprised the first time I found out."

"All right, now, it's time for breakfast!" A guard called.

"Come on," Zexion told Roxas quietly.

"What about Demyx?" Roxas asked.

"Oh, he'll catch up," Zexion said with a smile. "This isn't the first time this has happened; it happens on a daily basis. It serves him right for being so damn lazy."

Roxas and Zexion followed the rest of the Bearers to the cafeteria. The two of them were quiet as they waited in line. After they had their bowls of oatmeal, they headed for the same table they had sat at the previous night. Demyx soon joined them, looking surly.

"Thank you so much for waiting for me," Demyx said sarcastically.

"It's your fault for getting up so late," Zexion said calmly. He glanced over at Roxas, who was only picking at his oatmeal. "Roxas, sweetie, are you feeling okay? You aren't eating very much."

"I'm not really hungry," Roxas mumbled.

At the end of breakfast, Roxas rose with Zexion and Demyx and brought his untouched food to the garbage can. He walked with Zexion and Demyx to their first class.

The room looked like a general classroom with a blackboard at the front and a teacher's desk off to the side. The rest of the room consisted of rows and rows of desks. It seemed to be split in two with a large aisle down the middle. The Breeders were already present on the other side of the room, under heavy guard. The Bearers sat on the other side closest to the door.

"Come on," Zexion said quietly.

He led Roxas further into the classroom. They sat in a cluster of desks at the back of the classroom. A shadow fell on them. A tawny-haired boy stood before them. His light grey eyes were soft and gentle. Roxas recognized him as one of Axel's Breeder friends.

"Hello. My name is Sora," he said in a kind voice.

"I'm Roxas," Roxas responded.

"Yes, I know." There was an awkward silent. "Look, I feel like I must apologize on Axel's behalf. He'd never do it himself because that's the way he is. He…" Sora sighed softly. "You mustn't take Axel's behavior personally, all right? You haven't done anything wrong. It's just how he is. How he always has been None of us really understand him."

"I understand," Roxas said.

"Hey." Demyx gently tapped the blonde on the shoulder. Roxas turned his attention away from Sora. "I heard Zexion start to explain the whole class thing earlier, but he never finished, so I might as well finish for him.

"As you can obviously see, we share this class with the Breeders. We also share our other morning class with the Breeders. We have two classes in the morning and two in the afternoon. After this class, we have an hour break, and then we have our other class."

"What's this class?" Roxas asked curiously.

"It depends on the day," Demyx answered. "Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, it's History, and Tuesday and Thursday, it's English. Today happens to be History."

"I see," Roxas murmured.

Zexion and Sora carried on their own private conversation.

"He looks like he was crying a lot," Sora said softly.

Zexion nodded. "He cried for several hours last night. Demyx and I did the best we could to comfort him."

"Poor thing," Sora whispered.

"They always cry at the beginning," Zexion said. "I know I did. They're just so young. They're scared and hardly understand what's happening. It'll take a while, but Roxas will eventually get settled in. Demyx and I will see to that."

"Good." Sora smiled.

The teacher entered and stood at the front of the class. He was in his mid-thirties with jet black hair and sharp grey eyes. His chin was rather pointed.

"Class, we have a new addition today. I'd like you all to welcome Roxas, who will be joining the Bearers," he said with a slight drawl. He pointed Roxas out, who flushed with embarrassment at being the center of attention. "Undoubtedly, some of you have already met him. Make sure you make him feel welcome here. Remember that all of you were new here once."

The teacher went into the closet behind his desk and brought out a thick book. He walked to the back of the classroom where Roxas sat, and handed the book to him.

"Here is the history book for the class. We are presently discussing chapter 2 so if you could read the first chapter."

"Okay." Roxas nodded.

The teacher returned to the front of the classroom.

"Today we continue our lecture about the years following the death of the twins Hayden and Harou. Their sons Jayden and Bryan continued on the legacy of their fathers by having children and pairing them off with each other.

"They found that several of their sons were able to have children like Jayden so they paired their sons who could have children with sons who could not and in turn bore more sons who could have children. It was in this way that the population of Earth began to grow. Families started spreading out all over the planet, whose geography had been completely reshaped by the wars in the Old World. They settled into cities, however it was chaotic after the deaths of the twins Hayden and Harou. There was no authority and though there were peaceful people, there were squabbles that eventually erupted into wars…"

Sora passed Zexion a note:

I'm not terribly worried; it's not like Axel has any choice in the matter. In the end, his instincts will kick in and he won't be able to resist Roxas.

Zexion responded:

Yeah, I know. It would be nice if Axel would acknowledge Roxas as his mate because it would make Roxas feel a lot better, but that's like asking for a miracle, huh?

You have no idea.

During the hour break following their first class, the Breeders were transferred from the classroom to the gymnasium. Demyx and Zexion brought Roxas there early so they could talk to the gym teacher.

There were actually two gym teachers at The Institute, one male, for the Breeders, the other female, for the Bearers. The woman was in her late twenties, tall, and willowy, with bleached blonde hair and bug-like eyes.

"Ah, you must be Roxas," she said with a smile.

"Yes ma'am," Roxas mumbled shyly.

The woman threw her head back at the title and started laughing, which sounded more like a deep, throaty cackle.

"Please, call me Larxene," she said once her laughter had died down. "Okay, honey?"

"Okay," Roxas responded.

"Now let's see if we can find you a uniform that actually fits," Larxene said.

Roxas nodded and silently followed Larxene into her office, while Zexion and Demyx waited outside. Roxas blinked dazedly for a few moments, blinded by the fluorescent lights that lit the room. When his eyes adjusted, he saw that there was a large wooden desk in the middle of the room and gym equipment everywhere. Larxene went to a large closet at the back of the office and started rifling through it, muttering to herself, leaving Roxas to stand at the door, feeling incredibly foolish.

"Here you go," Larxene said, suddenly straightening up with a bundle of clothing in her arms. "These should fit you."

"Thank you," Roxas said.

"Gym uniforms are washed every week along with the rest of your clothes," Larxene explained. "On Fridays after gym, you take the uniform back to your dormitory and put them in your hamper with the rest of your clothes. They're washed over the weekend and returned to you on Sunday. Got it?"

"Yes." Roxas nodded.

Larxene handed him the bundle of clothing and he went outside to where Zexion and Demyx were waiting for him.

"This way," Zexion said softly.

He led Roxas through a door and they ended up in a locker room. The other Bearers were already there, changing their clothes. Zexion led Roxas over to a cluster of lockers away from all the others.

"Our lockers are here," he said. "This one is empty, so you can use it." He pointed to the locker next to the one Demyx was pulling clothes from.

Roxas nodded and moved to the locker on Demyx's other side. He felt a little embarrassed to be changing in front of the others, but none of the other Bearers were paying attention to him. Roxas stripped off his uniform and put on the clothes Larxene had given him. It was another uniform, similar to the one of The Institute except there were shorts instead of pants and regular sneakers instead of boots. There was also a pair of navy blue swim trunks. When he had finished and stored his clothes and the swim trunks in his locker, Zexion and Demyx studied him.

"Not bad," Demyx said. "It's a little big on your but I'm sure you'll grow into it soon enough."

Roxas flushed, but did not say anything as he followed Zexion and Demyx out into the gym where the rest of the Breeders and Bearers were gathered. Larxene beckoned Roxas over to her. Roxas nervously approached her.

"Okay, so here's how it goes. All of you guys run a couple laps to warm up and then we separate you from the Breeders and do some sort of an activity, except for on Fridays, when all of you are together for the swimming lesson. Okay?" she said.

"I understand," Roxas replied.

"Good." Larxene smiled.

Roxas returned to where Zexion and Demyx were standing.

"All right, let's have some order in here," the male gym teacher, a big beefy guy said, blowing his whistle. The talking died down. "Okay. Today, the Breeders will be playing basketball and the Bearers will be playing soccer. Now go run some laps."

Grumbling, the Breeders went off, the Bearers not far behind. They started jogging around the perimeter of the gym. By the time they were finished, Roxas was quite out of breath. The Bearers went with Larxene to one side of the gym, which had been set up for a soccer match. Larxene split them into two teams. Somehow, Roxas ended up on the same team as Zexion and Demyx.

"You know how to play, right?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah," Roxas simply answered.

He quickly proved that he was good at playing soccer. He worked well with the others on his team and helped score several goals. He was drenched in sweat by the end, but he felt good. With Zexion and Demyx, he went to take a shower.

Lunch was at noon and then the Bearers and Breeders separated for their afternoon classes. Demyx and Zexion brought Roxas to the front of the room and took their seats near the middle. The teacher entered, a tall, thickly built man with dark reddish brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and a rather square jaw.

"Ah, the new student," the teacher said with a smile. "Welcome to The Institute. My name is Mr. Lexaeus. And you are…?"

"Roxas," Roxas answered. "My name is Roxas."

"Roxas," Mr. Lexaeus repeated softly. "Well, let me tell you a bit about what's going on here. I'm sure one of your new friends has told you about the format of the classes here at The Institute, yes?"

"Yes," Roxas answered.

"I am the teacher for both afternoon classes. This first class I like to use as a study period and then after a break, I lecture on various topics. Today, for instance, I'm gong to give a lecture on the proper nutrition during heat. You…understand what heat is?"

"Yes sir." Roxas nodded.

"Good," Mr. Lexaeus said. "Things will seem hectic around here for a while, but I promise, it will be better. Since you are new here, I'll take the time to explain a few things.

"You and your mate won't officially be joined together for a couple weeks. They, and by 'they' I mean the High Council, want to make sure that you're properly settled in first. The joining ceremony is pretty much a formality. It's a wedding ceremony, if you will, verbally binding you and your mate together. You won't physically be bound together until you experience your heat when you're fourteen. After that, you'll mate whenever you go into heat every month in the hopes that you will produce children. If you become pregnant, you will not have another heat until after you give birth. It will be so much easier to understand once you experience it for yourself."

"Okay," Roxas said.

"Do you have any questions?" Mr. Lexaeus asked.

Roxas shook his head. He took an empty seat beside Zexion and opened his History textbook to the first page.

_The Old World_

_Human society reached its peak by the year 4000. Concerned for the future, the world leaders, led by the President of the United States, arranged for a conference to be held to discuss what could be done. Representatives from every country were invited to the conference to have their voices heard. Of the 208 countries in existence at the time, 198 countries accepted the invitation._

_On June 27, the International Human Affairs conference began. After two long weeks of discussion and deliberation, the International Science Association (ISA) was created. Its members consisted of scientists from all 198 countries present at the conference. Headquarters were set up in the hills of Switzerland. The scientists collaborated on a level that had never occurred before in human history on the most ambitious project of all—genetic manipulation. Their goal was to create a race of humans superior to the current race. _

Roxas looked up from his page, frowning.

"Is this really true?" he asked.

"Yes," Zexion answered. "As far as we know. Why?"

"It just seems like something out of a sci-fi movie or something," Roxas answered. "You know, with all the genetic manipulation talk and stuff."

"Yeah, I suppose that's true," Zexion said. "Apparently, the humans back on the Old World had a lot of advanced technology."

"Just wait until you get to the part about the twins," Demyx said, grinning. "And how they became lovers to repopulate the world. And, they paired their children off with each other to have kids. Basically, we were born from incest. It's great."

Zexion rolled his eyes. "You're so twisted, Demyx."

Roxas smiled and went back to reading.

Author's Notes: I meant to have this chapter done earlier but things just kept getting in the way. Sorry. There are a few things different with this chapter, namely the scene where Roxas wakes up (more interaction between Zexion and Demyx) and a lot more detail about the day-to-day activities at The Institute. And I decided that they should have a shared swimming lesson. Mostly as an excuse to get Roxas in swimming trunks, but there's a very important reason why the swimming lesson has been added in. As before, I made Lexaeus and Larxene teachers. You will see other Organization members as before plus characters from Final Fantasy. Some were in the original version. But there will be at least one surprise.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Two weeks later, Roxas was called out of his afternoon class. Not knowing why, he followed a young guard down the halls and into a large room. There were bookshelves filled with books on the two side walls and directly across from the door, was a row of windows. In front of the windows was a desk and there was a man sitting at the desk, staring out the windows.

The guard who had escorted Roxas cleared his throat. "Sir, I brought Roxas, just as you requested."

The man turned his chair around. He was a tall, thin man, pale, though not in an unhealthy way, with long silver hair and creepy eyes that Roxas swore were golden orange.

"Ah, yes, Zack. Thank you," he said softly. "You may leave."

"Sir." The guard named Zack saluted and left.

"Hello Roxas," the man in the chair said, though his voice held no warmth. "My name is Xemnas and I'm the director of The Institute. I am sure you are wondering why I called you here, but we shall wait for that explanation until your mate has arrived."

There was a short knock on the door and then it opened. Roxas turned as Axel was led in, surrounded by several guards.

"Ah, excellent," Director Xemnas said. "You may all leave. Axel, stand by Roxas, please."

The guards filed out. Axel hesitatingly moved forward. He never acknowledged Roxas's presence in the room.

"I have called you both here because it is time for you to be bound together," Director Xemnas said. "This verbal agreement will be consummated after Roxas's first heat and your bodies connect. This bond that you will form will last a lifetime. Now Axel, take Roxas's hand."

Roxas heard Axel hiss softly under his breath, but he reached out and took Roxas's hand. Roxas was surprised at how warm Axel's hand was. He knew he shouldn't have been; Axel was human, after all, and there was not ice running through his veins instead of blood.

"Today we join together Roxas and Axel, mates chosen by the High Council, to be bound together as mates," Director Xemnas said. "This everlasting bond shall be consummated during Roxas's fourteenth year, never to be broken, until the day they die. Now Axel, please repeat these words to Roxas. I promise to fulfill my duty as a Breeder. I promise to love and protect you as my mate and be faithful to you and do no harm unto you as long as we both shall live."

Axel gritted his teeth and his grip on Roxas's hand tightened as he turned to face him for the first time. "I promise to fulfill my duty as a Breeder. I promise to love and protect you as my mate and be faithful to you and do no harm unto you as long as we both shall live."

"Now Roxas, please repeat these words to Axel," Director Xemnas said. "I promise to fulfill my duty as a Bearer. I promise to love and protect you as my mate and be faithful to you and do no harm unto you as long as we both shall live."

Roxas swallowed hard and his voice trembled as he spoke each word. "I promise to fulfill my duty as a Bearer. I promise to love and protect you as my mate and be faithful to you and do no harm unto you as long as we both shall live." The last words died in his throat.

"Axel?" Director Xemnas gestured to Roxas.

Axel snarled under his breath and seized Roxas by the shoulders. He pulled Roxas in so they were only inches apart.

"Look, I'm doing this because I have to and for no other reason, all right?" he hissed.

Roxas nodded, frightened. His heart beat faster and faster as Axel's lips closed over his, his hand gently cupping Roxas's cheek. The kiss was very brief. Axel pulled away and shoved Roxas away from him roughly. He hurried out of the room.

"Axel!" Director Xemnas barked, rising.

There was a scuffle outside and Axel was dragged back into the room by several guards. Axel resisted them every step of the way.

"Axel! Control yourself!" Director Xemnas yelled.

Axel spat obscenities at him. Roxas backed away and flattened himself against one of the walls as Axel broke free of the guards and tried to sprint out of the room. The guards hurried after him and dragged him back into the room again. Director Xemnas pulled something from one of his desk drawers. At first, Roxas thought it was a gun, but then he saw that it was a syringe. Director Xemnas took the cap off the end to reveal a long needle. He stepped forward and stuck the needle in Axel's forearm. Axel howled in pain and tried to rip the needle out. The guards held him still as Director Xemnas pushed the syringe down. There was a moment where Axel continued to struggle to get free, and then he fell limp.

Roxas remained where he was against the wall, unable to move. He was afraid, afraid of Axel's behavior just now. Somehow, he knew that it was not normal.

His legs gave out and he sank down, trying to keep himself together. He seemed to be forgotten for the moment, which he was glad for. His entire body trembled and he tried to control his short, anxious breaths. At last, he managed to control his breathing, but remained on the ground, unsure of if he would be able to stand on his own.

Then, one of the guards slowly approached him. It was the same one as before, the one who had escorted him to Director Wazkowski's office. He had a young, boyish face and twinkling eyes. Zack was his name, Roxas remembered.

"Hey," Zack said softly. "You okay? Did Axel hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine," Roxas answered. "Just a bit shaken."

Zack laughed quietly. "I don't blame you. I'd be the same way if I was you. Come on. I'll take you back to your lesson." He extended his hand to Roxas.

"All right," Roxas said.

He took Zack's hand and the young guard helped him to his feet. He threw a quick glance at Axel who was being held by a burly guard as he followed Zack out. Neither of them spoke during their journey down the hallways. They stopped outside the classroom and Zack knocked on the door. After a few moments, the door opened.

"In you go," Zack said quietly.

"Thank you," Roxas said.

"No problem." Zack smiled.

Roxas slipped into the room and Zack closed the door behind him. Everyone was staring at Roxas, and that made him blush. He hated being the center of attention. He swiftly made his way across the classroom.

"Roxas? What's wrong?" Zexion asked softly as Roxas took his seat.

"Nothing," Roxas lied.

He could not shake the feeling that there was something wrong with Axel.

Zack entered the partially darkened apartment without knocking. He waited for a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the apartment before moving forward. He knew the layout of the apartment by heart so he moved without a problem and did not crash into anything.

In the back bedroom, a figure sat on the bed, waiting, cloaked by the darkness of the room.

"I have made contact with the boy," Zack said. "he knows my face."

"Excellent," the figure responded. "Keep a close eye on him and make sure you place yourself close to him."

"I will," Zack said.

"We need to be prepared for events that I have already described to you," the figure said. "I've done what I can to make sure that the boy is protected. Axel can do that."

"Are you sure he's really the one?" Zack asked.

"Yes. All signs point to him," the figure answered.

"I'll do what I can to keep an eye on him without drawing attention to myself," Zack said.

"Excellent." The figure sounded genuinely pleased. "I'm counting on you, Zack."

"I know."

Axel stood in Director Xemnas's office, handcuffed, two guards on either side of him. He had woken up on the floor in Director Xemnas's office, his hands cuffed behind his back. One of the guards had wordlessly jerked him to his feet after seeing that he was awake and now he waited for what he knew was coming, trying to brace himself.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU ALKESEI, RUNNING OUT ON YOUR MATE LIKE THAT? AND IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CEREMONIES HERE AT THE INSTITUTE!"Director Xemnas screamed, his face turning a bright shade of violet. Axel said nothing and allowed Director Xemnas to continue his rant. "Do you want the boy to be afraid of you? Is that what you're aiming for?"

"How do you know…?" Axel began.

"I can tell!" Director Xemnas interrupted, never lowering his voice. "I've been watching him ever since he came here to The Institute and I can see that he's frightened of you. Is that what you want?"

"I never wanted to come here in the first place," Axel muttered.

Director Xemnas stalked forward and smacked him hard across the face.

"You should be grateful! You should be grateful that I was able to bend the rules so you could come and live here!" he shouted. "You should be grateful that I took you away from that life you were living!" Axel said nothing, though he flushed dark red. "Ah, so you do remember that life."

"How could I forget?" Axel asked heatedly.

"Now you listen good, Axel," Director Xemnas said. "You have caused nothing but trouble since the day you arrived here. You had better get your act together and soon, or else you'll face serious consequences."

"What?" Axel challenged. "You gonna throw me out of this place? I have no objections to leaving."

"You cannot leave. You have a mate now, and therefore a duty to him," Director Xemnas said.

"That's why you gave me him as a mate. So I wouldn't be able to leave," Axel growled.

"No," Director Xemnas said in a sharp voice that caused Axel to stare at him. "That is not why Roxas was chosen to be your mate, although, that is a bonus."

"So why the hell am I his mate?" Axel demanded.

"You shall see in time," Director Xemnas said.

"Bastard! Answer me!" Axel shouted.

"Now, Axel I don't think you are in such a position to be giving orders, especially since you are already in hot water," Director Xemnas said.

"Yeah?" Axel challenged. "What are you gonna do to me, huh? Life here is already a living hell."

"You and your mate will be spending some…ah…quality time together for the next three days in confinement," Director Xemnas said.

"Three days?" Axel exploded. "Why the hell do I have to spend three days with him?"

"You and Roxas need to get to know each other better. You must get along with him, whether you like it or not. He is your mate and you are stuck with him for the rest of your life," Director Xemnas said. Axel scowled, but did not protest. "One of the guards will escort you to the confinement area."

"Confinement?" Roxas asked, his young face troubled by the sudden news. "Why?"

"Director Xemnas believes that you and your mate need to spend some time together to get to know each other better. I've been asked to escort you there," one of the guards said.

"How long am I being confined with Axel?" Roxas asked, becoming more and more troubled.

"Three days," the guard answered. "Now please, we must go."

"Yes sir," Roxas said.

He turned away so the guard would not see how afraid he was. He never would have expected for this to happen. The guard had come to get him out of his afternoon class, but Roxas had not suspected anything was amiss. Now he was going to be spending three days in confinement with Axel.

He could do this. He had to. He had to be strong. He had to show Axel that he was not weak. He could do this. He could survive three days in confinement with Axel.

Taking in several deep breaths, he turned around, keeping his face calm.

"I'm ready to go," he said in an even tone.

"Come with me, then," the guard said.

They walked down the maze of hallways, passing by several guards, before finally stopping in front of an unmarked door. The guard took a ring of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.

"In you go," the guard said, ushering Roxas forward.

Roxas stepped over the threshold and was met by a wave of cold air. He blinked. It was pitch black; there were no windows in the room.

"Your mate is here," the guard announced.

Roxas could see the outline of whom he guessed was Axel laying on the only bed.

"Behave yourselves," the guard said with a horrible grin and then he closed the door.

Roxas heard the lock click and departing footsteps. Cautiously, he crossed the room and sank down against the wall opposite of where Axel lay. He couldn't help sighing softly. He had gotten himself into a fine mess and he didn't even know how.

Author's Notes

I decided that I couldn't wait until tomorrow to post this chapter so you're getting a rare double update. Enjoy! And yes, I chose Zack to fill the role of an original character by the name of Xander. If you read the original fanfiction version, Zack wasn't in it because Xander wasn't in the original. He just sort of wrote himself into the story. And I thought that Zack was the perfect fit for him. So now Zack has been included too.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from Kingdom Hearts nor am I making any money by writing this.

Chapter 6

"What?" Demyx demanded. "Roxas has been put in confinement with Axel?"

"Shh," Zexion pleaded at a whisper. "Don't yell so much."

"I don't understand. Why the hell would they put Roxas in confinement with Axel? Isn't it only for one person?" Demyx said, barely lowering his voice.

"Yes, but the rumor is that Axel did something at the binding ceremony that made Director Xemnas angry and so he's punishing him by throwing him in confinement with Roxas," Zexion said. "See, according to Sora, Axel can't be punished in the normal way. Putting him in confinement doesn't work. Apparently, being locked in a small windowless room doesn't bother him at all."

"So why drag Roxas into all this?" Demyx asked.

"Think, Demyx!" Zexion hissed. "Axel doesn't give a damn about Roxas. He refuses to acknowledge him as his mate and doesn't want anything to do with him. Locking them in the same room for three days is bound to cause something to happen."

"So what exactly did Axel do?" Demyx asked.

"No one knows," Zexion answered. "The guards aren't talking about it."

Demyx frowned. "That's odd. Usually, they're so talkative, especially if something happens. Either they really don't know what's going on, or they're trying to cover something up." He raked his fingers through his short hair in frustration. "I just hope Roxas's all right."

Zexion's aquamarine eyes were troubled. "So do I."

At dinner, Zexion's thoughts were concerned with Roxas so he barely focused on the plate of spaghetti and meatballs in front of him. He did not even realize Demyx was calling his name until he felt himself being shaken.

"Huh?" he asked dazedly, turning.

"You seriously didn't hear me?" Demyx wondered. "I've been calling your name for like five minutes."

"Mmm," Zexion said distractedly.

"You're acting weird. Are you okay?" Demyx said, frowning.

"Fine," Zexion said, though he wasn't really listening.

"Well, then, are you aware that practically the entire cafeteria is staring at you?" Demyx asked.

Zexion turned and saw that Demyx's words were true; almost the entire cafeteria was staring at him.

"Why are they staring?" Zexion asked at a whisper.

"Well," Demyx said, "You can't possibly know this, but you kind of smell good."

Zexion frowned, not understanding what Demyx was telling him for a few moments. When he finally realized what it meant, his eyes widened. His first heat had come. It scarcely felt like a year had passed since he had arrived at The Institute. Demyx had arrived at roughly the same time as Zexion and had been the first (and only) one to befriend him. He probably would not have survived his first months at The Institute if he had not met Demyx; the brown-haired boy had helped him make the adjustment and get used to the strange life at The Institute. All that seemed so far away now.

"Zexion," Demyx said gently.

Zexion looked up, surprised at how gentle Demyx's voice sounded. A young guard stood there. Zexion had been too absorbed in his thoughts to hear him approach.

"Come on," the guard said. "I'll take you to your mate. But we must hurry!"

Zexion nodded and rose. He did not bother taking care of his food. He followed the guard down the hallways and stopped outside a room. Saïx waited there with several guards.

"You can use this room," the guard who had escorted  
>Zexion said, opening the door. "I'll come get you when you're finished."<p>

Saïx entered the room first and Zexion followed. The guards closed the door. Zexion was alone with his mate for the first time since their binding ceremony.

Zexion stood absolutely still, not entirely sure what he was supposed to do. He knew what had to happen, but he did not know how it was supposed to start. He would just have to trust that his mate would know what to do.

Saïx stepped forward and brought their lips together. He was gentle at first, but then started kissing Zexion more passionately. Zexion was left breathless as Saïx started forcefully sucking on the skin of his neck. Saïx tugged on Zexion's shirt and Zexion raised his arms so his mate he could remove his shirt. He closed his eyes and tried to keep himself calm as he felt Saïx's hand move across his body. He had never been touched so intimately before by another and it was strange and awkward.

They moved backward until they came to a bed. Zexion was taken off guard when Saïx forced him to turn around. Saïx's hands moved lower and wrapped around his waist, then, slid his pants down. Zexion kept his eyes closed as Saïx slid his boxers down. There was no turning back now. Zexion was forced onto the bed. He braced himself, but nothing could prepare him for when Saïx roughly penetrated him. He cried out; it hurt so much more than he imagined it would.

"Saïx!" he gasped. "It hurts!" He did not receive an answer. "Saïx, please!"

Saïx ignored him and started thrusting roughly. Each thrust hurt more and more. Zexion thought something was going to tear inside of him.

"Saïx stop!" he cried out. "It hurts too much! I'm begging you!"

"Shut up," Saïx growled. Zexion was startled by how rough he sounded. "Hold still so I can finish fucking you."

"This isn't the way I wanted it to be," Zexion murmured.

He cried out when Saïx struck him across the face.

"I said shut up!" Saïx snapped.

Zexion cried out and tightly gripped the sheets as Saïx thrust against him. His body arched almost instinctively with each of Saïx's thrusts, but all he felt was the pain. Finally, Saïx reached his climax and rocked hard against Zexion one last time before withdrawing. Zexion rolled onto his side and put his arm across his forehead. Saïx suddenly seized him and forced him to roll onto his back.

"What are you doing?" Zexion cried.

"Shut up and stop moving otherwise I'll hit you again. You know I will," Saïx growled.

Zexion stopped struggling. He cried out when he felt Saïx roughly nip his neck.

"Mine," Saïx hissed.

And then he left.

Zexion remained where he was. He was unable to move, paralyzed by his terror and pain, both physical and mental.

Saïx had…

He did not even want to think about that right now. He didn't think he'd be able to keep it together if he did. So he buried his face in the sheets and tried to hold back his tears. He did not hear the door open.

"Hey," a soft voice said. A warm hand was placed on his back.

Zexion straightened up and looked at whoever was there with him. It was one of the guards, the same one who had escorted him there.

"You all right?" the guard asked.

"Yeah." Zexion wiped his tears away.

"Put on your clothes and I'll take you back to your dormitory, okay?" the guard's tone was extremely gentle.

Zexion was very glad the guard turned around to give him at least a little privacy. He moved slowly, wincing with every movement. When he was done, he walked forward.

"Do you want some help?" the guard asked.

"I'm all right," Zexion answered.

"All right." The guard shrugged.

The journey was slow and painful. The guard let him walk on his own, but made sure that he was close in case Zexion needed him. At last, they reached the dormitory. The guard made sure he got in safely before leaving. Zexion kept his eyes focused on the ground until he heard a cry of horror and then looked up into Demyx's stunned face.

Seeing the face of his best friend, whose face was filled first with total shock and confusion and then understanding and anger caused something inside Zexion's heart to burst. The tears he had been forcing back could no longer be contained and spilled out. He fell forward into Demyx, sobbing softly. Demyx held him tenderly as he absorbed Zexion's fear, his pain.

Zexion did not know how long he cried, but finally, he wiped his eyes with his arm. He was exhausted now, all his strength spent.

"Would you like to take a shower now?" Demyx asked quietly.

"Yeah." Zexion nodded.

"All right. Why don't you go to the bathroom and I'll bring you a fresh set of clothes?" Demyx suggested.

Zexion nodded a second time. He let go of Demyx at last and left the dormitory.

"I'm going to take a shower," he told the guards standing outside the dormitory.

One of them escorted him there and waited outside to give him some privacy. Zexion walked past the rows of toilets and sinks to the showers on the opposite side of the bathroom. He chose one of the first showers and went in.

The shower area consisted of a small changing area with a bench and a shower with no curtain. Zexion stripped off his clothes and turned on the shower. He waited until it was warm before stepping beneath the spray. The hot water felt good on his aching body. He didn't hear Demyx come in; he was too absorbed in his thoughts. He wouldn't have even known that Demyx had been there if it had not been for the pile of clothing sitting next to his towel on the bench.

Zexion dried himself off and slowly dressed. He gathered his dirty clothes and left the shower area. To his surprise,  
>Demyx was waiting there for him, leaning against one of the sinks, arms crossed. When he saw Zexion emerge, he straightened up, and uncrossed his arms. Zexion lowered his gaze to the floor, unable to look his friend in the eye after crying in his arms for so long.<p>

"Feel better?" Demyx asked stiffly.

"Yes." Zexion nodded.

There was an awkward silence. Suddenly, Demyx stepped forward, his gaze hard.

"W…what's wrong?" Zexion stammered.

"He shouldn't be allowed to do this," Demyx said, anger evident in his voice.

Zexion shivered slightly as Demyx ran his thumb over the bite mark on his neck. He did not like the possessiveness he saw in Demyx's eyes. It made him feel so uncomfortable. It reminded him of Saïx. He had been possessive, marking Zexion as his own. Zexion tore his gaze away, staring at the floor. He couldn't look at Demyx anymore. A long silence elapsed and an unspoken understanding passed between the two of them.

"You wanna go back to the dormitory now?" Demyx finally asked.

"Yes," Zexion answered.

He was extremely exhausted and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep for a couple days. Zexion and Demyx were silent as they walked back to the dormitory, a guard following behind. Zexion could never remember a time when the two of them had been unable to speak because there was awkwardness between them. Zexion had never felt awkward around Demyx before.

When they reached the Bearers' dormitory, Zexion silently moved to his bunk. He threw his dirty clothes into his hamper and lay on his bed. He lay awake for a while, his mind going over the events that had happened that evening. Then, he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

Author's notes: Short chapter, I know. The next one will be much longer, I can assure you and it will feature Axel and Roxas in confinement. It will be interesting, I can tell you that right now. Also, I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to update every week; I'm starting classes on Monday and between that and work, I'm probably going to be very busy. So I might have to start updating every other week, but I won't know for sure until I go to my classes and see what the work load is going to be like. Also, sorry this chapter is late. I don't really have any excuses.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Roxas sighed softly and shifted his position against the cold wall. He had no idea how long he had been stuck in that little room with Axel; there was no way to keep track of the passing time like there was on the outside. There was nothing in the room, Roxas assumed, except for the bed Axel was laying on, and a toilet, he hoped. Speaking of the redhead, he had not said a single thing since Roxas arrived. Not that Roxas expected anything different from his mate. He wasn't really sure he liked confinement, though he could understand how a cold person like Axel would feel at home here.

"Excuse me?" Axel's voice demanded through the darkness. "What did you call me?"

At first, Roxas was mortified that he had said that out loud and even worse, that Axel had heard him, but then the mortification melted into anger. Axel had no right to treat him like this—he had done nothing to cause Axel to treat him in this way.

"I called you cold," Roxas said hotly. "Because that's what you are. You don't give a damn about me or anyone else. You push me away even though you don't know me at all. You don't even want to give me a chance or get to know me at all."

The tears he was struggling to hold back leaked out of the corners of his eyes. He brushed them away, glad that it was dark, and Axel couldn't see him crying.

"Why the hell are you crying?" Axel asked.

Roxas mentally cursed himself. He had a bad habit of voicing his thoughts out loud without even knowing it.

"Well?" Axel demanded. "I'm waiting."

"I don't give a damn!" Roxas managed to choke out. "Just leave me alone you cold, heartless bastard!"

"Is that all you have to say to me?" Axel said coldly.

"No!" Roxas yelled. "I'm not done, you jerk! Any normal human being who had an ounce of humanity in them would understand what I'm going through. I've just been taken from my home, my life, my family, and thrown into this place. I'm alone and I'm scared to death.

"And now, knowing that I have to spend the rest of my life with you makes it even more unbearable. Any normal human being would feel compassion, but I guess you can't do that, huh? You have nothing but ice running through your veins."

"Do you really think I care about what you think?" Axel asked.

"Of course not," Roxas answered. His words were cutting. "You don't give a damn about anyone except yourself."

"Fuck you," Axel snarled.

"You will eventually," Roxas muttered under his breath.

By some miracle, Axel did not hear him.

They spent the rest of the day in silence. Axel completely ignored Roxas and Roxas was quite content to return the favor. Roxas did not know what time it was when he heard keys jangling in the lock. A few moments later, the door opened with a loud groan.

"Who's there?" Roxas called.

"Relax, it's just me," Zack's voice said through the darkness.

"What the hell do you want?" Axel asked.

"I've got dinner for the two of you," Zack answered.

There was a pause and then a small light switched on. After a few moments, Roxas realized that Zack was carrying a small flashlight. He flashed it around the room to try and find where Roxas and Axel were.

"All right," Zack muttered. He vanished for a moment and came back with a ray. "This is for you, Axel."

He handed a tray to Axel, who looked down at the piece of beef on his tray and made a small sound of disgust.

Zack ignored him. "This is for you, Roxas."

He handed a tray to Roxas.

"Thank you," Roxas murmured.

He did the best he could to eat his dinner with the limited amount of light he had from the door and Zack's light. When he had finished, Zack took his tray away without a word. He came back briefly to take Axel's tray away and then he left them alone to their thoughts once more.

Zack entered the darkened apartment again and swiftly moved to the back bedroom. This time, he knocked on the door and waited for clearance before entering.

"Yes?" the figure asked.

"I just thought you'd want an update," Zack answered nervously.

"Yes, of course," the figure said smoothly.

"Director Xemnas decided on a punishment for Axel for disrupting the binding ceremony," Zack said.

"Oh?" the figure asked interestedly.

"Yeah." Zack nodded, though it was too dark for the figure to see. "Apparently, he decided to put him and Roxas in confinement together for three days."

"Hmm," the figure murmured. "I wonder what his reasoning is for doing that."

"I don't know," Zack said. "I brought them their dinner a little while ago. They both seemed to be all right, though the tension in the room was high." He paused for a moment. "Do you think Roxas will be all right?"

Even in the darkness, Zack knew the figure was smiling. "He's going to be fine. He's too much like his father."

Zack was surprised to hear that. "His father? I thought no one knew who the father was." He peered curiously at the figure, though it was difficult in the darkness. "Are you saying you know who Roxas's father is?"

"Sorry. I can't tell you," the figure said after a long pause.

Zack swore under his breath. "Fine, be that way. I've gotta get back before they notice that I'm gone."

"Be careful, Zack," the figure said softly.

Zack grinned. "Always."

_His father was yelling at his mother for one reason or another. He didn't really know. He huddled in the shadows, praying his father wouldn't notice him._

"_Boy!" his father bellowed._

_His breath caught in his throat and he scrambled to his feet. He hurried forward to where his father was waiting, knowing his father would beat him if he dawdled for too long._

"_Y…yes sir?" he stammered._

"_Clean yourself up," his father snapped. "We're having guests."_

"_Yes sir." He nodded and rushed to the back bedroom where his mother was getting ready._

"_Oh, Axel," she said when he entered. "Hurry and clean yourself up. Your father is expecting company soon. Wash your face."_

"_Yes, mama," he murmured._

_He scrubbed his face until his mother was satisfied it was clean and then waited as patiently as he could while his mother untangled his long red hair. Finally, she finished and the two of them went to the front of the house to wait for their guests to arrive._

_His mother tried to put on a happy smile when the guests came, but Axel could see how much of a toll they took on her. She dutifully served them cheap beer and pretended not to notice their inappropriate touches. Axel sat in the corner and tried to be invisible._

_He didn't understand when his father's guests became drunk and started raping his mother. He was much too young to understand what was going on, but he knew his mother was upset, and that made him angry. He rushed forward and swung his fists around, trying to drive the men off. At only six years old, he was not very intimidating. It made his father angry, but the guests found it entertaining. _

"_Look at this," one of the men said, chuckling._

"_Leave my mother alone!" Axel demanded._

_The men only laughed._

"_Your son is very angry," a second man noted. _

"_I apologize, Ryan," his father said. "He doesn't know his place." Axel knew by the tone his father used that he would be severely punished later. _

"_No, it's all right," the man named Ryan replied. "I find it amusing, actually." He cupped Axel's cheek with one of his huge hands. Axel turned his head away in disgust. "Look at me." Axel responded by giving the man a good kick in the shin._

_Ryan grunted and smacked him hard across the face, sending Axel reeling._

"_He's spirited, that's for sure," Ryan muttered. "And he has a mean kick too." He turned to Axel's father. "Have you tried breaking him?" _

_Axel's father gave a low groan. "Have I ever! The kid refuses to break, no matter how hard I hit him."_

"_Then, let me suggest an alternative," Ryan said._

"_I'm listening," Axel's father responded. _

Axel woke trembling and sweating. He shot out of bed and stumbled through the darkness, trying to find the toilet. He barely made it in time as his dinner quickly left his stomach. He gagged after he finished throwing up and tightly clutched the sides of the toilet, waiting.

When it was clear that nothing else was coming up, he shakily stood and flushed the toilet. He rinsed his mouth out with water from the sink next to the toilet and laid back on his bed. He let out a long, shaky breath. There was no movement from Roxas's corner so he assumed the blonde was sleeping.

How very wrong he was.

Roxas knew there was something wrong with Axel. He was now more sure than ever. He also knew, however, not to ask the redhead, because that would not end well, so he kept his mouth shut.

He had just begun to fall asleep when he heard Axel give a short gasp. Mystified, he waited, listening. A few moments later, he heard Axel vomiting, then flushing the toilet. Then, he heard the sink running. At last, it fell silent, save for Axel's heavy breathing. It could have been a simple case of food poisoning, or a bout of the flu, but Roxas's instincts told him that there was something deeper going on with his mate. Frustrated, Roxas rolled onto his other side, and tried to sleep.

He woke with a start when he heard keys jingling in the lock. He yawned widely and stretched out, trying to get the stiffness out of his body while mentally cursing Axel for forcing him to sleep on the floor. He was so incredibly sore after spending the night there. The door opened and Zack came in, balancing two trays.

"Breakfast time!" he called.

He delivered Roxas his tray first and then went over to the bed where Axel lay. He was surprised when the tray was pushed back at him.

"I'm not hungry," Axel declared.

"All right." Zack shrugged. He wasn't about to push Axel. He had seen the outcome of that, and it was not pretty. "I'm going to have to report this to Dr. Vexen."

"Whatever," Axel said in a bored tone.

Zack waited for Roxas to finish his meal before taking both trays out. He set them on the cart used to bring them to the confinement area and locked the door to Roxas and Axel's room. He whistled tunelessly under his breath as he wheeled the cart out of the confinement area. He left it in the kitchen and made his way to the medical facility. It was deserted, as usual.

"I need to speak to Dr. Vexen," he told the receptionist on duty.

"I'll see if he's available," the receptionist said with a yawn.

"Tell him it's urgent," Zack said.

"All right." The receptionist nodded.

She vanished into the back. Zack paced around the small reception area, trying hard to not lose his temper. At last, the receptionist reappeared, followed by Dr. Vexen.

"Come on," Dr. Vexen said. "We can go into my office to talk."

Dr. Vexen's office was small and crammed with books. Bookshelves lined the walls and even more books were stacked in messy piles on the floor.

"What can I do for you?" Dr. Vexen asked, closing the door.

"I just wanted to let you know that Axel refused his meal this morning," Zack answered.

Dr. Vexen frowned. "Did he give a reason?"

"He said he wasn't hungry," Zack answered.

"We don't have a problem with anyone else here, just him. I swear sometimes he does it on purpose just to get on my nerves," Dr. Vexen muttered.

"Sir?" Zack asked, confused. "Has this happened before?"

"Oh yes," Dr. Vexen answered. "This is not the first time this has happened, nor do I believe it will be the last. That being said, it is still a great concern to us. Tell me, are you scheduled to bring Roxas and Axel all their meals in confinement?"

"No." Zack shook his head. "I was only to bring them dinner last night and breakfast this morning."

"Did Axel eat his dinner last night?" Dr. Vexen asked.

"Yes, though he hardly touched his beef," Zack answered.

"What was served for breakfast this morning?" Dr. Vexen wanted to know.

"Pancakes and bacon," Zack answered.

Dr. Vexen did not speak for a while and seemed to be deep in thought. Finally, he said, "I want you to keep an eye on Axel for the next couple of days and observe his patterns of eating. I want you to note what he eats, how much he eats, and what he refuses to eat.

"I'll speak to Director Xemnas and see that you are scheduled to bring Roxas and Axel their meals for the duration of their confinement and put on cafeteria rotation for the next week or so in order to properly observe Axel's behavior."

Zack nodded. "I understand."

He left the medical facility and went down the hallways. He knocked on the apartment door.

"Come in," a voice said.

Zack opened the door and entered the apartment. Unlike the previous two times he entered the apartment, this time it was lit.

_He_ was in the kitchen, standing at the stove. When he heard Zack's clumsy, heavy footsteps on the tile floor, he turned, his blue eyes widening at the sight of him.

"Zack, what are you doing here?" he asked, abandoning whatever he was doing at the stove. "I wasn't expecting you to come."

"I just came by to warn you that you might not see me for the next couple days," Zack said. He let out a long breath. "I'm being assigned to watch over Axel for the next couple days."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" he asked.

"He refused his meal this morning," Zack answered.

He frowned. "Is that such a bad thing?"

"It's mostly precautionary. It's probably nothing, but apparently, Axel has refused meals before. Dr. Vexen just wants to make sure there's nothing wrong with him."

"I see," he murmured.

"I'll try to come and see you when I can, but I don't want to arouse suspicions," Zack said.

He nodded. "I understand."

There was a brief pause and then their lips came together.

"I…can't stay," Zack whispered, pulling away.

"I know," he replied. "Just…please."

He brought their lips together again. Zack could taste the desperation in the kiss, the rough pleading to not leave yet. Zack obeyed, though he knew he was not the one he really wanted right now. It had been nearly five years, but the pain was still there.

At last, Zack regained enough of his self-control to pull away.

"I have to go," he said lamely.

"I know," was the response.

"I'll see you later…Cloud."

Roxas blinked as the room was suddenly filled with light. He had been so consumed with his thoughts that he had not heard the door being unlocked. He and Axel had had another argument that had evolved into a shouting match. The thing they had been arguing about was hardly important, but Axel had started to become more irritable, and another argument had been inevitable. They had called each other every nasty name they could think of and condemned each other to very unpleasant places. They had only just lapsed into an angry silence and Roxas was still fuming when his thoughts were interrupted by the intruder.

"What is it?" Roxas snapped.

"Jeez, no need to be bitchy," Zack said from the door. "I just came to tell you that your time is up. You're being released."

"Already?" Roxas wondered.

"Yeah," Zack answered. "It's been three days."

"Wow," Roxas said softly.

"Yeah," Zack said. "Come on. I'll take you." He looked in Axel's general direction. "Someone will be by to get you in a bit."

"Why does he get to be released first?" Axel demanded.

"I don't know," Zack answered hotly. "I'm just following orders."

"Stop being such a bitch," Roxas suddenly snapped.

"Fuck you," Axel responded.

"You will," Roxas said.

"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot pole," Axel growled.

Roxas laughed quietly. "You won't be like that forever."

"Watch me," Axel snarled.

"Oh? A challenge?" Roxas asked. "I would love to see you try avoiding me once my heat comes."

"I will stay away from you," Axel growled. "Heat or not, I will never come near you."

"Are you two done?" Zack asked, trying hard to not laugh.

He had never heard anyone bicker with Axel so much before, but obviously, Roxas wasn't taking any crap from Axel. He had never met such a strong-willed person before.

No, there was one other.

"Are you okay? You look like shit!" Demyx blurted out when Roxas entered the dormitory, earning him a jab in the ribs from Zexion.

Roxas merely laughed. "Yeah, I know I look like shit. I haven't been able to shower in three days."

Demyx took the opportunity to start talking about everything Roxas had missed. As Demyx jabbered on, Zexion studied Roxas's face closely. He smiled, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Clearly, something had gone on during the confinement. When it was time for breakfast, Roxas excused himself to take a shower, and Zexion made up his mind to skip breakfast too in order to talk to him privately.

"So how was it really in there with Axel?" Zexion asked once the dormitory was empty.

"Not good," Roxas admitted. "It was a long three days."

"What happened?" Zexion asked as Roxas gathered his shower things.

"Well, for the first part of the first day, we sat in total silence. Then, I accidentally called him cold to his face and, as you might imagine, he wasn't too thrilled to hear that," Roxas answered. Zexion nodded, wincing at the image of Axel's angry face. "We ended up getting into an argument. Day two was spent in complete silence, and then today, we got into another argument that ended up turning into a shouting match."

"Wait." Zexion blinked, confused. "You and Axel shouted at each other?"

"Loudly." Roxas smiled. "It turned into a contest of who could insult the other better."

They had arrived at the community bathroom. Zexion waited outside while Roxas showered and then the two of them made a quick stop at the dormitory before heading to class.

It was apparent just how much had changed between Roxas and Axel when Roxas stepped into the classroom. Axel sent a cold glare his way, but Roxas simply returned the glare. Axel's scowl deepened, but Roxas did not appear to be intimidated. His gaze was level as he stared back at Axel. Neither of them seemed to want to give in. Zexion put a hand on Roxas's shoulder, wondering for the first time if he would have to restrain Roxas. A tense minute passed.

"Come on," Zexion finally dared to say. "Let's go take our seats. Class is going to start soon."

Reluctantly, Roxas tore his eyes away from Axel. He allowed Zexion to lead him to his seat. Demyx looked at Zexion in surprise. Zexion merely shrugged.

Roxas's behavior did not wear off after several days, or even several months. He acted the same around everyone else, but when Axel was around, he became silent and moody. Life settled down after Roxas's arrival, but the talk did not die down.

Rumors flew about Roxas and Axel's standoff in confinement and their new standoff that had come as a result of it. People were even starting to place bets about their relationship and whether one of them was going to crack or not. Demyx believed that Axel was never going to come around, but Zexion wasn't so sure. He had a feeling that Axel loved Roxas, but was trying to deny it. That was why he was so hostile toward him. True, he was hostile toward everyone, but he seemed especially hostile toward Roxas. Somehow, everything would work out, one way or another

Author's Notes

This chapter was supposed to be posted last week, but we all know that didn't happen. This chapter introduces the Cloud subplot which wasn't present in the original version. Also, Zack. I couldn't find anyone to fit the role of Ryan who's such a minor character anyway it doesn't matter. So he remains an original character.

I'm going to be holding off on posting a new chapter next weekend because I'm going to be out of town so the next chapter won't be posted until the first of February.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Axel stared as Roxas entered the cafeteria one morning. It seemed as though he had been transformed overnight, although Axel knew that the transformation had occurred gradually, over a period of almost a year. Roxas had gone from being a quiet, gentle, shy little boy to a confident, bright young man. He held himself proudly and wouldn't let anyone look down on him, yet he wouldn't look down on anyone else.

Axel couldn't help staring at Roxas. He was so…different. His face had matured and his hair was longer, just barely touching his shoulders. His thin, delicate lips pressed together into a faint smile as he, Riku's mate, and Saïx's mate joined the end of the line. Saïx's mate, Axel noticed, had let his natural hair color grow back. Instead of having blonde hair, Saïx's mate was now dark haired again.

Suddenly, Roxas seemed to realize Axel was watching him because he looked in Axel's direction. His gaze hardened as he stared Axel down and the redhead realized that Roxas's eyes no longer held any fear. When had that happened?

Axel blinked as he felt someone give him a shove from behind and realized that the line had moved forward. Shaking his head, Axel moved forward and took his tray. He did not even bother to look down at what he had been given as he walked to his usual table in the corner. Bryan gave him a strange look as he slid into the seat next to him.

"You okay?" Bryan asked.

"I'm fine," Axel said distantly.

He glanced over at the table where Roxas sat with Riku and Saïx's mates. Bryan followed his gaze and smiled.

"Ah, I see," he said.

"What?" Axel asked. Bryan gave him a meaningful look. "It's not like that at all." Bryan raised his eyebrows. Really, it's not."

"Uh huh." Bryan clearly did not believe him.

Axel ducked his head and focused on his plate of scrambled eggs. He refused to touch the sausage. At the end of breakfast, Axel and Bryan took their trays to the garbage and headed with the rest of the Breeders to their first class. All throughout the lesson, Axel snuck glances at Roxas, who was doodling idly on a loose piece of paper.

At the end of the class, Axel quickly gathered his things and was one of the first ones out of the classroom. They dropped their things off at the dormitory and headed to the locker room. This time, Axel dawdled, unwilling to go to gym class until absolutely necessary.

It was only after Axel saw some of the others dressed in their swimming trunks that he remembered that it was Friday. He bit back a groan; he hated swimming above everything else. Grudgingly, he changed into his swimming trunks and followed Bryan out to the pool. The Bearers had not yet arrived.

Axel waited impatiently with the rest of the Breeders until the Bearers' locker room door opened and the Bearers filed out. Axel's breath caught in his throat when Roxas exited, flanked by Riku and Saïx's mates. It was even clearer now than it was this morning that Roxas had matured. Axel scarcely heard what the two teachers were saying; he was staring at Roxas.

The Bearers and Breeders moved to different ends of the pool. The Bearers were currently at the deep end and lined up. Roxas moved to the edge of the pool first. After preparing himself, he gracefully dove in. A few moments later, his head appeared above the surface of the water. He swam over to the side and easily pulled himself out of the water.

Axel swallowed hard. Roxas's swimming trunks clung to his body in all the right places, showing off what they could see, and hinting at what they could not see. Most of the Breeders would never see all of Roxas and would be forever teased by glances such as this. But Axel…

Axel would see all of Roxas.

One day soon, Roxas would have his first heat and they would have sex. Roxas would belong only to him. Suddenly, he had a yearning for that day to be today, so he could finally touch the boy, feel the boy writhe beneath him, to hear the boy pant and cry out as he finally claimed what was his. If he closed his eyes, he could almost see Roxas like that, his astonishingly blue eyes filled with nothing but Axel, wanting him, needing him.

Axel's head snapped up as he realized just where his thoughts were heading. He darted into the locker room. Breathing heavily, he sank on the bench. What the hell was he thinking? He refused to think of Roxas like that, mate or not.

He did not hear the locker room door open and close. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into Bryan's concerned face.

"Are you okay?" Bryan asked.

"I'm fine," Axel answered breathlessly.

"Oh?" Bryan suddenly grinned. "Then what's this?"

He put a hand between Axel's legs. Axel flushed. Only Bryan would dare to touch him so intimately and Axel would allow only Bryan to touch him like that. Bryan knew this because he gave Axel one of his familiar grins and brought their lips together for a coarse kiss. His hand slipped beneath the waistband of Axel's swimming trunks. Axel rolled back, banging his head against the row of lockers there.

"Be quiet!" Bryan hissed. "You wanna get caught?"

Axel tried to point out that it wasn't easy to be quiet, but his words were lost in a groan as Bryan's hand started moving. He crushed his lips to Bryan's. His breaths came in quick pants. Their foreheads pressed together as Axel finally reached his climax. Bryan withdrew his hand and lightly pressed his lips to Axel's sweat-soaked forehead.

"I'll give them an excuse for you," he whispered.

Axel nodded. Bryan turned to leave, but Axel caught his wrist. Bryan stopped and turned to him, surprised at the gesture that was so unlike Axel.

"Thank you," Axel said softly.

Bryan smiled and left. Axel leaned back against the lockers with a sigh and brushed his sweaty bangs out of his eyes. He couldn't believe he had lost control like that. And all over a boy. Axel had never felt so stupid in his life. 

Roxas dreaded going to lunch above everything else. He had seen the Breeders looking at him during their morning lesson. It had been even worse in gym class. All the Breeders had stared at him like he was a piece of meat. Then Axel had run out on them and he _knew_ he was the reason why.

He could have skipped lunch altogether, but he did not want Zexion to be on his case. With a sigh, he followed Zexion and Demyx into the cafeteria.

Almost immediately, he wished he hadn't. All the attention in the room turned to him as soon as he stepped through the doorway.

"Oh fuck," Demyx murmured.

"What's going on?" Roxas asked.

"Roxas, I want you to run," Zexion said in a low voice. "Run as fast as you can and don't look back. Hide somewhere. It doesn't matter where. Just get as far away as you can from here."

"But what's going on?" Roxas persisted.

"It's your heat," Zexion answered.

Roxas was quiet for a moment. "Oh."

"You have to go," Zexion said. He looked at Roxas, his face full of anxiety. "You'll be all right."

Roxas nodded and slowly backed away. As soon as he made it out the door, he turned and started running. He didn't have any idea of where he was going, but it didn't matter. He smacked into a large, soft object. It was a person. His breath caught in his throat when a pair of arms wrapped around him. He was caught. He was going to be raped!

"No! No!" he cried, trying to break free. The arms held him still.

"Roxas," a voice said softly. "Roxas, relax. It's me."

Roxas looked up. He was filled with relief when he saw Axel.

"It's you," he whispered.

Axel crushed their lips together. Roxas lifted his head, responding eagerly to the kisses. A loud slamming sound caused them to jump apart. Axel looked around wildly, but could not find the source. He turned back to Roxas, whose cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.

"We should probably keep moving," Axel said. "The guards can only do so much to keep the Breeders under control."

Roxas nodded mutely. Axel looked around to try and figure out where the hell they were. He had slipped out of the cafeteria with help from one of the guards and had quickly moved to intercept Roxas. He had known the instant Roxas stepped into the cafeteria that his first heat had come. What he hadn't counted on was that Roxas attracted the attention of every single Breeder in the cafeteria. Axel had smelled a lot of Bearers in heat, but he had never smelled anything as potent as Roxas before.

He snuck a glance at Roxas as they walked down the hallway. The boy looked absolutely terrified. He had no idea how much self-control Axel was currently exerting so he didn't rip Roxas's clothes off and take him right there and then. He knew he had to wait until the right moment to claim Roxas as his own.

At last, they came to a long hallway with doors on either side. These were where the Breeding Rooms were, where the Breeders and Bearers had sex when the Bearer was in heat. Axel opened one of the doors and peeked in.

"This room is empty. We can use it," he said.

Roxas did not respond, staring at his feet. Axel pursed his lips and grabbed his hand.

"Do you want them to find us?" he hissed.

Without waiting for a response, he pulled Roxas into the room. He slammed the door behind them, then locked it. Then, he flipped on the lights. Roxas still stared at his feet.

"Hey," Axel called out softly.

Roxas looked up at him at last, blue eyes filled with uncertainty, fear.

Axel gritted his teeth. "Look, I know you must be really uncomfortable right now. I don't know what it feels like, but I imagine it must not feel very good." Roxas nodded. "The only way for that to stop is for us to have sex. I can't promise it won't hurt, but I'll try to be as gentle as I can, okay?"

Roxas nodded again.

There was a pause and then Roxas said, "What am I supposed to do? I have no idea what to do!"

He was panicking, Axel realized. This was not good.

He grabbed Roxas by the shoulders. "Look, you've gotta calm down, okay? It's gonna hurt even more if you're tense. I know what to do. You're just going to have to trust me, okay? Can you do that?"

"I trust you," Roxas murmured.

"Good," Axel said. He released Roxas's shoulders. "You don't have to worry about doing anything. Just go with it."

He brought their lips together again, gently this time. He brought Roxas's shirt up and was surprised when Roxas lifted his arms so Axel had an easier time removing his shirt. Axel let the shirt drop. He brought their lips together again. His fingertips explored every inch of Roxas's pale skin and he enjoyed the reactions he got from the boy; the gasps, the pants, the soft whimpers. He moved his hands down and worked on Roxas's pants. The blonde flushed as his clothing was stripped away, leaving nothing to hide him from Axel's piercing gaze.

Axel stared at Roxas for nearly a full minute once his clothes were gone, much to the blonde's embarrassment. He couldn't help it; Roxas was beautiful.

And he was his.

Axel swallowed hard at the thought. Roxas would have no other but him. They would be bound together forever. Axel gently cupped Roxas's cheek.

"Lay on the bed," he told his mate.

With a nod, Roxas turned and did what Axel told him to do. Axel stripped his clothes in a hurry, leaving them in a messy pile on the floor. Then, he stepped forward, and joined Roxas on the bed. Roxas watched him apprehensively. Axel gently touched his cheek and then reached down to prepare Roxas for what he was about to do. Roxas gasped loudly at the intrusion. Axel could feel how tense he was.

"Roxas, I'm telling you, you need to relax," he said. "It's gonna hurt like hell if you don't."

"Easy for you to say," Roxas muttered. "You don't have some guy's fingers shoved up your ass."

Axel smirked. "True."

He slid his fingers out and took a deep breath. Then, he slid forward, connecting their bodies at last. Roxas cried out softly, causing Axel to pause.

"Don't…stop!" Roxas hissed.

Axel knew he was right. He shifted his position and started thrusting. Roxas moaned softly, his hands tightly gripping the sheets, back arching with every thrust. Axel clenched his teeth. He was so very close—he could feel it. He closed his eyes and finally let go.

He was still for a moment and then withdrew, laying by his mate's side. Roxas instinctively curled up against him. Normally, Axel would have pushed him away, but this time, he let Roxas remain where he was. After a while, he noticed that Roxas was unusually quiet so he looked down. Roxas's eyes were closed, his breathing slow and even. Axel watched him, fascinated. He looked so peaceful while he was sleeping.

Axel's throat tightened. Even so, he couldn't take the risk. He had done it before, and ended up losing it all. He simply _couldn't. _If it happened again, he would break. He was already too close to that breaking point. He leaned over and gently brushed his fingers against Roxas's cheek. The blonde stirred slightly, but did not wake.

"Roxas…I'm sorry," he whispered.

Roxas woke up alone. The only trace Axel left was a note, written in his long, neat handwriting:

This changes nothing.

Roxas's fist curled around the paper. Axel was a heartless bastard. How dare he leave Roxas behind like this after all they went through. How dare he say that nothing had changed between them when it was clear that everything had changed.

Drawing in several shaking breaths, he rose, and threw his clothes on, trying to push back his burning tears. He stowed the note in his pocket and opened the door. The hall was deserted. He cautiously went out, praying he didn't meet any Breeders on the way back. Thankfully, there was no one. The other Bearers were in the dormitory when he finally got back after getting lost several times. Everyone looked up at him anxiously, but only Zexion and Demyx ran over to him.

"Whew, you stink!" Demyx declared, wrinkling his nose.

"Demyx!" Zexion smacked him over the head.

"Oww, would ya stop hitting me, Zex? You're gonna give me brain damage!" Demyx ruefully rubbed his injured head.

"You already have brain damage," Zexion said darkly, glaring at his friend. "Besides, you deserve it. Moron." Demyx stuck his tongue out Zexion, who ignored it. He turned to Roxas. "What he means to say is that you smell…rather strongly of _him_."

Roxas laughed. "Yeah, I know I stink. I can't believe how dirty I feel."

"You'll feel better after you take a shower," Zexion said reassuringly.

"I hope so," Roxas muttered.

He gathered his shower things and went into the community bathroom. The hot water felt so good when he stepped into the shower some time later. For a long time, he was still, letting the water pour over him as he mulled things over. Axel…

He had been so gentle.

Roxas had not expected it at all. It was like Axel was a completely different person. But then, he left Roxas that hurtful note declaring that nothing had changed between them, when Roxas knew that everything had changed. The binding process had been completed the moment Axel had finally taken away Roxas's virginity, claiming him as his own. They were bound together now, forever. Roxas swallowed hard at the thought. Forever was a long time, especially if he had to share it with Axel.

Yet Roxas still couldn't help feeling there was more to Axel than he first let on. Somehow, Roxas knew that deep down, Axel was just a hurt boy, trying to prevent himself from being hurt again by closing himself off to everyone.

Sighing softly, Roxas shut off the water. It felt so good to put on clean clothes. He moved Axel's note to the pocket of his clean clothes and returned to the dormitory. He threw his dirty clothes in his hamper and sank onto the edge of his bunk.

"Feeling better?" Zexion asked, sitting next to him.

"Yes," Roxas answered.

At dinner, he was surprised to see only a few Breeders present.

"The guards had to sedate most of the Breeders because they weren't able to subdue them," Zexion explained at a whisper.

Roxas spotted Axel across the cafeteria, talking to his dark-haired friend, and scowled. This did not go unnoticed by Zexion, who resolved to ask him about it later, when they had more privacy.

Zexion got his chance later that evening when Demyx and most of the other Bearers went to the bathroom to take a shower. Roxas sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his lap, apparently lost in thought.

"So," Zexion pronounced, sitting on the bed next to his friend. "What did Axel do this time?" Roxas looked up and gave him a curious look. "Don't think I didn't see you glare at him at dinner. What did he do?"

Roxas sighed. "It's not what he did that's the problem. It's what he _didn't_ do."

"I'm not following," Zexion said with a frown.

Roxas reached into his pocket and pulled out Axel's note. With pursed lips, he handed it to Zexion.

"That bastard," Zexion growled when he had finished. He handed the note back to Roxas. "What the hell is his problem?"

"Who knows? Roxas shrugged. His expression suddenly softened. "I have this feeling and I can't explain why I have it."

"What is the feeling? Is it about Axel?" Zexion asked.

"Yes." Roxas nodded. "I feel like there's more to him than what we see, like the reason why he's so cold is because he was hurt in the past and he's just trying to protect himself from being hurt again." He bit his lip. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"No," Zexion said quietly. "I'm just curious why you think this."

"I don't know," Roxas whispered. "It's just a feeling that I have. But…"

"But what?" Zexion asked.

Roxas was silent for a while. Finally, he said, "He seemed like a completely different person. He was extremely gentle with me and tried so hard to not hurt me."

Zexion stared at him. "Really?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded, flushing slightly at the memory. "I was completely surprised. I never expected him to have a gentle side."

"I don't think any of us did," Zexion admitted.

Author's Notes

Hi. I'm back. Here's a nice long chapter to make up for my absence. Bryan is one of the few characters who will remain original. Unfortunately, he's more important than Jesse but I'm just going with this. I'm going to try and update next Friday, but I can't say for sure. Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Your reviews mean the world to me.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Zexion, Demyx, and Roxas sat together at breakfast one morning. About a month and a half had passed since Roxas's heat and things had settled down since then, though people still talked about it. Even after everything that had happened, after all the uproar Roxas had caused, things felt normal again. Roxas and Axel sill either ignored each other completely or glared at each other every opportunity they got.

Zexion frowned as Roxas pushed away his plate of barely eaten food, the third time this week. For a while, Roxas's eating habits had improved, but lately, they had dropped off again.

"Roxas…" he started.

"I know, I need to eat, but I'm not hungry," Roxas snapped. At Zexion's hurt expression, he said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just tired."

Zexion's frown deepened. Roxas had been unusually tired lately, not to mention moody. He'd be angry one minute, then burst into tears the next. He insisted he was fine and refused to see Dr. Vexen, no matter how many times Zexion or Demyx pleaded with him to see the doctor.

Suddenly, Roxas rose, his face extremely pale. Before Zexion had a chance to ask him if he was all right, Roxas was sprinting across the room. Zexion automatically rose and followed, Demyx trailing behind. He winced as he heard Roxas puking in the garbage can stationed next to the area where they returned their trays. He stepped forward as Roxas straightened up. This was another thing that had accompanied Roxas's tiredness and moodiness—nausea and vomiting. Zexion gently placed his hand on Roxas's shoulder.

"Come on. Let's go back to the dormitory so you can lay down," he said softly.

Roxas nodded. Zexion took him by the arm and guided him out of the cafeteria, ignoring all the stares they were receiving. Without a word, Demyx followed them.

Once they were back in the dormitory, Zexion guided Roxas over to his bunk and helped him to lay down, sat down, beside him, then turned to Demyx.

"Can you go to the bathroom and get a washcloth and wet it with cool water?" he asked.

"Sure," Demyx answered and headed for the door.

"Make sure you wring out all the water," Zexion called after him.

"I got it," Demyx responded. "It's not rocket science."

Zexion rolled his eyes as Demyx disappeared and then turned to Roxas. He put a hand on Roxas's forehead.

"You're clammy," he murmured.

"I feel like shit," Roxas muttered.

"You look like it too," Demyx said from behind Zexion.

Zexion turned with a glare and swatted at Demyx, who was panting like he had sprinted to the bathroom and back.

"You never learn, do you, moron?" he hissed.

He snatched the damp washcloth from Demyx and turned back to Roxas, his expression softening.

"Here, let's put this on your forehead," he said gently.

Roxas rolled onto his back, allowing Zexion to put the washcloth on his forehead.

"That feels good," he murmured.

For a while, they were silent. Roxas closed his eyes, trying to nap. At last, he opened his eyes again.

"How are you feeling? Any better?" Zexion asked anxiously.

"Yeah," Roxas answered. "I'm feeling a bit better."

"Do you think you can make it to class?" Zexion asked.

"I think so." Roxas nodded.

He rose from his bunk, being careful to mind his head, but as soon as he got to his feet, he felt a wave of dizziness and swayed unsteadily. He felt the blackness seeping in and allowed it to consume him.

"Roxas!" Demyx cried as Roxas suddenly collapsed.

Zexion immediately sprang up from his seat and moved forward to catch Roxas. His movements were awkward so he ended up tumbling to the floor with Roxas in a tangle of limbs.

"Zexion!" Demyx cried.

"I'm all right," Zexion said, gingerly detangling himself from Roxas.

"What are we gonna do?" Demyx asked hysterically.

"Don't panic," Zexion said sharply. He moved to Roxas's side and placed two fingers against Roxas's neck. "He still has a pulse. That's good." He let out a shaky breath. "Demyx, go and get the guards. Tell them to alert the medical facility."

Demyx nodded and hurried off. Zexion glanced nervously at the glass wall. The Breeders had not come back from breakfast yet. How much time did that give them? Once the Breeders saw what was going on, they would get antsy and when they got antsy, one of them would snap. Zexion turned back to Roxas.

"Roxas, wake up," he said, giving Roxas a gentle shake. Roxas did not respond. "Roxas, please wake up." He still got no response.

Demyx hurried in with two men from the medical facility on his heels, plus a couple guards.

"Zexion?" Demyx asked.

Zexion shook his head. "He hasn't woken up."

The men from the medical facility stepped forward and took over. Zexion moved back so he wouldn't be in the way and watched anxiously as the two men tried to rouse Roxas.

"Go and get the stretcher," one of the men said.

The other nodded and left the dormitory. He returned a few moments later with a stretcher.

"What's going on?" Zexion asked fearfully.

"It looks as though Roxas is dehydrated. We're going to take him to the medical facility," the first man answered.

They carefully transferred Roxas from the floor to the waiting stretcher and then wheeled him out of the dormitory. Zexion and Demyx shared a quick look before following.

Zack barged into Cloud's apartment without knocking. Cloud was sitting on the couch in the living room reading a book. He looked up curiously when Zack entered.

"Zack? What's going on?" he asked.

"Roxas passed out," Zack answered grimly.

Cloud's face paled. "What?"

"I'm not really sure what happened," Zack said. "They've taken him to the medical facility."

Cloud closed his book with a sharp snap and rose.

"Cloud?" Zack asked quietly.

"You have to take me there," Cloud said.

"Cloud…" Zack protested.

"You have to take me there!" Cloud said fiercely. "You have to take me to see Roxas!"

"You can't reveal yourself now!" Zack yelled. "It's much too soon! If you reveal yourself now, everything we've worked to accomplish will come undone!" His tone softened. "Reno will have died in vain."

Cloud visibly flinched at the name. Zack felt low for using a cheap shot such as this, but he _needed_ to make Cloud understand. Their secret could not get out right now. He would do everything he could to prevent the truth from getting out until the time was right.

"Zack, you don't understand!" Cloud hissed. "He is my _son_. He's the only thing I have!" he choked back a sob.

"What about me? You still have me," Zack said quietly. "Or do I not matter anymore?"

"Of course you matter," Cloud replied. "I didn't mean it like that. You know that, right?"

"Of course," Zack said soothingly. "I know Roxas means a lot to you, but you need to think about the situation. Do you really want to risk everything just to see your son?"

"Yes," Cloud whispered. "He's my son. I'd give everything up to protect him."

"All right," Zack finally gave in. He knew how stubborn Cloud could be. "I'll take you to the medical facility."

"Thank you," Cloud said.

Zack led him down the maze of hallways, to the medical facility. There were two others there, sitting in a corner, a boy with long blondish-brown hair styled halfway between a Mohawk and a mullet, and a boy with short dark hair that covered half his face. Both of them looked worried. Cloud marched straight up to the receptionist and demanded to be taken to Roxas immediately.

"Sorry, no one is permitted to see him at this time," the receptionist said.

Cloud growled under his breath. "You let me see him right now."

"Sorry. I have strict orders from Dr. Vexen that no one is permitted to see Roxas right now…" the receptionist said.

"That is my son back there!" Cloud shouted, finally losing his patience. "You let me see him now!"

"Just a moment," the receptionist said meekly.

She disappeared into the back. Cloud glanced at the two sitting in the corner. Both of them stared at him, shocked. Cloud turned away. A few moments later, the receptionist returned.

"Come on," she said. "I'll take you back to Roxas."

"Thank you," Cloud said softly.

The receptionist led him through the door next to her desk. They did not stop until they reached a small room. Cloud pushed the door open without knocking and entered. The room was small and square with medical equipment scattered around, a small sink in the corner with cupboards above it, and a bed on wheels in the corner.

Cloud immediately turned his attention to this bed. Dr. Vexen and several nurses were crowded around the bed, blocking its occupant from view. Cloud cautiously moved forward, trying to get a better view without getting in the way.

Finally, he was able to get a glimpse of the bed's occupant. For a moment, it seemed like he had forgotten how to breathe.

This was his son.

Roxas was immensely pale and it was clear right away that he was ill. There was an IV in his left arm and a plastic breathing mask over his nose and mouth. Golden curls lay limply on his forehead, soaked with sweat and his eyes were closed.

Dr. Vexen turned to Cloud. "Hello, Cloud."

"What's wrong with my son?" Cloud demanded.

"Roxas is severely dehydrated," Dr. Vexen answered calmly. "We are not sure why. We're trying to get him rehydrated right now, that's our first priority. After that, we will try and figure out why he has become so dehydrated."

"Can I stay with him?" Cloud asked.

"Yes, as long as you do not make a fuss," Dr. Vexen answered.

"All right," Cloud said.

He tried to stay out of the way as Dr. Vexen and the nurses continued to work. He did not understand anything that was going on.

At last, Dr. Vexen said, "I think he's coming around." He leaned forward. "Roxas? Roxas, can you hear me?"

Roxas uttered a low groan and his eyes slowly opened. Once again, Cloud suddenly felt it difficult to breathe as Roxas stared up at him with stunning blue eyes. Cloud was reminded of Roxas's father and it made his heart ache. Roxas's eyebrows knit into a frown when he saw Cloud.

"Do you know who I am?" Cloud asked softly.

"You're…my dad, aren't you?" Roxas asked slowly.

"Yes," Cloud said, pleased that Roxas remembered him.

After all, it had been a couple years since the two of them had met for the very first time. As was the custom, Cloud had visited Roxas when he was twelve to reveal the truth about the Bearers' existence and explain what Roxas would be facing in a years' time.

Roxas rubbed his forehead with his hand to try and clear his brain. "What happened?"

"You passed out," Dr. Vexen answered. "You have become severely dehydrated. We are still trying to figure out why. Have you been ill at all lately?"

"Yeah," Roxas said.

"You have?" Dr. Vexen asked. "How long has that been going on?"

"A couple weeks," Roxas answered. "I've been vomiting almost every day."

"That would explain the severe dehydration," Dr. Vexen muttered. "Have you had any other symptoms besides the vomiting?"

"Nausea, headaches, and I've been tired all the time," Roxas said.

"Have you noticed any mood changes lately?" Dr. Vexen asked.

"Yeah," Roxas answered. "I'll be really angry one minute and then I'll be crying the next."

"Of course," Dr. Vexen whispered. "That would explain everything."

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Cloud asked.

"I have one more question, Roxas, and this is probably the most important question. Do you remember the day of your last heat?" Dr. Vexen said.

"It was my birthday," Roxas whispered. "The 15th of May."

Dr. Vexen quickly did the calculation in his head. That had been over a month ago. Roxas should have had his heat already. There was only one possible explanation for this.

"Dr. Vexen? What's wrong with him?" Cloud asked.

"I think Roxas might be pregnant," Dr. Vexen answered.

There was a moment of complete silence, filled with shock.

"Oh my god," Roxas breathed. "Are you…are you sure?"

"I'll need to run a blood test to be completely sure," Dr. Vexen said. He turned to one of the nurses. "I shall need a blood sample for analysis."

"Yes, Dr. Vexen. Right away," the nurse said.

She left. Dr. Vexen checked one of the machines by Roxas's bed. "Your oxygen level has improved greatly. I'm going to take the mask off and give you a nasal cannula instead. It's basically a short set of tubes that go into each side of your nose."

"All right," Roxas said.

Dr. Vexen removed the breathing mask from Roxas's nose and mouth and gently inserted slender tubes into his nose and hooked them behind his ears.

"Does that feel all right?" Dr. Vexen asked.

"Yeah, it's fine," Roxas answered.

"Good," Dr. Vexen said. He and the nurses left.

A few moments later, one of the nurses returned with a tray that she set on the table beside Roxas's bed.

"Let's get you sitting up, huh?" she said.

Roxas said nothing. The nurse slowly moved Roxas's bed up until he was sitting up.

"Is this all right?" the nurse asked.

"Yeah, it's fine," Roxas answered.

Cloud could see how apprehensive Roxas was as the nurse prepared to draw his blood.

"Roxas, would you like me to hold your hand?" he asked.

Roxas mutely nodded. Cloud moved to his side and gently took his hand, being mindful of the IV in his arm. Roxas looked so frightened.

"All right. I'm going in," the nurse said. "It's going to feel like a little prick. That's all."

Roxas's grip on Cloud's hand did not relax until the nurse had pulled the needle out. She wrapped a bit of gauze around his arm to stop the bleeding.

"Dr. Vexen will be in a bit later with the results from the blood test," she said.

"All right," Roxas said.

She left. Cloud pulled up a chair and sat by Roxas's side.

"It's okay if I stay, right?" Cloud asked.

"Of course!" Roxas answered earnestly. "I like having you here. It helps keep me calm."

"I'm glad," Cloud said quietly.

There was a gentle knock on the door and it opened.

"Roxas? Is it all right if we come in?" the dark-haired boy from the waiting room asked.

Roxas's face brightened. "Of course!"

The door opened wider and the dark-haired boy came in, followed by the brown-haired boy who had been sitting with him earlier. The dark-haired boy gasped softly when he saw Roxas.

"Oh Roxas," he whispered.

Roxas smiled tiredly. "I'm okay."

The dark-haired boy seemed to sense something was wrong. "Roxas, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Zexion, I might be pregnant," Roxas said tearfully.

Zexion exhaled softly. "Oh."

"Zex? Are you all right?" the brown-haired boy asked with a frown.

"I'm fine," Zexion answered. He smiled weakly, though Cloud could tell he was greatly upset by the news.

"Are you going to introduce me to your friends?" he asked.

"Oh. Yeah," Roxas answered. "Dad, this is Zexion…" he gestured to the dark-haired boy. "And this is Demyx." He gestured to the brown-haired boy. "This is my dad."

"It's nice to meet you," Cloud said.

"You too," Zexion replied.

Cloud did not know how much time had passed when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Roxas said.

The door opened and Dr. Vexen came in, carrying a folder.

"I have the results from your blood test," he said. "The test was positive. You're pregnant."

"Oh my god," Roxas whispered. He closed his eyes.

"Roxas?" Cloud asked. "Are you all right?"

Roxas leaned over the side of his bed and vomited. Cloud immediately rose and started rubbing Roxas's back. After a few moments, Roxas straightened up, panting.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, blinking back tears.

"It's all right," Cloud said soothingly. "Actually, that was the exact same reaction I had when I found out I was pregnant."

"Really?" Roxas asked.

"Oh yes," Cloud answered, smiling faintly.

He remembered the feeling too well when he had first found out he was pregnant. There was shock, complete disbelief, and above all, terror. He had been a little younger than Roxas when he found out he had conceived. He was still living on the outside then, and had not even known he was a Bearer. He was not sure how that had happened, but he couldn't talk to his parents; they were still grieving.

Only three weeks previously, Cloud's twin brother, Christian had committed suicide after being brutally raped. Cloud had done some research on his own and found out the truth; he and Christian were Bearers.

Instead of confronting his parents about it, he ran away, hoping to find the place known as The Institute on his own. He did not want to cause his parents even more pain by bringing up Christian so soon after his death. Plus, he hadn't wanted to think about it either. After wandering around for several weeks, he finally found it and had lived there ever since.

Cloud blinked when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Are you all right?" Zexion asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Cloud answered.

"I see," Zexion murmured.

"When…when is the baby due?" Roxas asked.

"Mid-February," Dr. Vexen answered after a few moments of silence.

"I can't believe it," Zexion whispered. "I just can't believe you're pregnant."

"You're telling me," Roxas grumbled under his breath.

"Believe me, we are as stunned as you are. I don't think we've ever seen such fertility in someone before," Dr. Vexen said.

"Axel is so going to freak when he finds out," Demyx said.

"Axel!" Roxas groaned. "I totally forgot about him! How am I going to tell him?"

"You just have to tell him straight," Cloud said gently. "It'll be difficult, I know, but he needs to know."

"All right, I'll tell him," Roxas said, making a face. "Just as soon as they let me out of here."

Cloud turned to Dr. Vexen. "When will Roxas be able to leave?"

"I'm going to keep him overnight for observation. He'll be able to leave in the morning," Dr. Vexen answered.

There was a knock on the door.

"Cloud?" Zack asked, coming into the room. "Director Xemnas wants to see you right away."

"Of course," Cloud muttered.

He knew it was only a matter of time until Director Xemnas found out. He was not going to be pleased one bit. Zack gave Cloud a sympathetic look.

"Just give me a moment to say goodbye," Cloud said.

"Sure," Zack said softly.

Cloud moved to Roxas's side. His two friends stepped back and stood by the wall, watching sadly as father and son embraced.

"Will I ever get to see you again?" Roxas asked tearfully.

"I don't know," Cloud answered. He was surprised at how easily the lie came. "That's not up to me to decide."

"I'll miss you," Roxas said.

"I know," Cloud responded. "I'll miss you too."

Cloud did not want to let go of him, wanted to stay in that moment forever with his son in his arms, but at last, he broke the embrace. Roxas had tears running down his face and Cloud could feel tears on his cheeks as well. He reached up and lightly brushed them away. He hadn't even realized how much he had been missing until he got the chance to see his son once more, to hold him in his arms, even if it was only for this one moment.

"Goodbye, Roxas. I love you," he whispered.

Then, he followed Zack out to face Director Xemnas's wrath.

Author's Notes

Well hello there. I actually managed to update the chapter on time! Cloud is normally very mild-mannered but push his buttons and he's a force to be reckoned with. I wrote the last scene while listening to Roxas Theme (Orchestral Version) by Drammatica. If you haven't already listen to it, you must. It's possibly the most heart-wrenching version of Roxas's Theme I've ever heard. I will try as hard as I can to have the next chapter posted next Friday but I can't make any promises. Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. It means so much to me! I tried to respond to all the reviewers who logged in but if I missed any of you, I'm sorry. Also, I finally got Skype set up so if you're on Skype at all and want to chat, feel free to add me. My name is the same. Just let me know who you are so I can know. And sorry for the long Author's Note this time around.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Zack stood completely still in front of Director Xemnas's desk, waiting. He was waiting for the imminent explosion. He could see it building up because of the way Director Xemnas's face was changing color, a telltale sign that he was angry. Zack had been dealing with Director Xemnas for over a decade now, so he knew exactly what to do and what not to do in front of him.

The biggest thing was to remain calm, no matter what happened. He could not show even the slightest bit of anger. This was difficult for Zack; he had trouble controlling his temper at times and exerted a great deal of self-control to keep himself from shouting at people in anger.

Director Xemnas had called them in separately, starting with Cloud. Zack had waited outside for a quarter of an hour listening to Director Xemnas's muffled shouts. When Cloud had finally emerged, he was on the verge of tears. He had glanced at Zack upon passing him in the hallway, though he didn't say anything.

"You left your post without permission," Director Xemnas's voice suddenly cut through Zack's thoughts.

"Yes sir," Zack said evenly. He was surprised at how easy it was to remain calm.

"You entered a Bearers' apartment without permission."

"Yes sir."

"You revealed personal medical information about a Bearer without consent."

"Yes sir."

"You escorted a Bearer to the medical facility without permission.'"

"Yes sir."

"You have disobeyed orders."

"Yes sir."

"You have broken so many rules."

"Yes sir."

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

He had many things to say, but none of them were good, so he kept those thoughts to himself. He was already in enough trouble as it was so the last thing he wanted was more trouble.

"No sir."

Director Xemnas blinked, surprised. "Nothing at all?"

Zack let out a long breath to help him remain calm, a trick he had learned from Cloud. "No sir."

"Do you deny responsibility for your actions?"

"No sir."

"Then you accept full responsibility for your actions and the punishment I shall give?"

"Yes sir."

"Very well. I have gone over your record and have found it clean, except for a few minor incidents that occurred almost a decade ago."

Zack couldn't help smiling. Those "minor incidents'" had been back when he had first arrived at The Institute. He had been young back then, and reckless. He had caused a few small incidents with the other guards when he had lost his temper, and attempted to take it out on them. He had quickly learned not to do that.

"This was your first major incident, was it not?" Director Xemnas asked.

"Yes sir," Zack answered.

He had become extremely careful to not cause any trouble in recent years, keeping his temper carefully in check. It had been difficult, but somehow, he had managed it. None of them had any idea of who they were dealing with, really, and that was how Zack wanted it to be. When the time was right, he would reveal his true nature and everyone would be surprised.

"There were some problems in the past, however, it appears that there have not been any incidents in the past decade, so I am willing to be lenient," Director Xemnas said. "You will be put on cleaning duty for three weeks in addition to your regular assignments. Am I clear?"

"Yes sir," Zack replied.

"Good. You are dismissed," Director Xemnas said.

Zack saluted and left. Once outside, he let out a long breath. Cleaning duty, while it was one of the worst rotations at The Institute, was so much better than some of the other options. Hell, Zack would scrub toilets for a _month_ if it meant being able to stay at The Institute. It hadn't always been like that; there was a time when Zack had considered quitting, but then he met Cloud, and everything changed. Now there was no going back.

Roxas was released from the medical facility early the next morning. He dressed behind the privacy of a muslin curtain and was escorted back to the Bearers' dormitory by one of the guards.

The other Bearers were only beginning to rise and get dressed. Roxas silently moved to Zexion's bunk where the older boy was pulling on his boots.

"Zexion, there's something I need to do. Only…only I want you to be there," Roxas said in a low voice.

"You're going to tell Axel, aren't you?" Zexion asked at a whisper. Roxas merely nodded. "All right. I'll come with you."

"Thank you," Roxas murmured.

Together, they left the dormitory.

"Where are you going?" one of the guards standing outside the dormitory asked harshly.

"I'm going to see my mate," Roxas said unflinchingly. "I have to tell him something important."

It was not forbidden for mates to speak to each other outside of class or when they were mating, but it rarely happened; the Bearers and Breeders preferred to keep to themselves.

"This way," the guard said.

He led Zexion and Roxas to the Breeders' dormitory. One of the guards standing outside was sent in to get Axel.

"Make it quick; it's almost time for breakfast," he said.

Scowling, Axel stepped forward. "Why the hell are you here?"

"I needed to tell you in person," Roxas said refusing to look up at Axel, nearly a head taller than him now.

"Tell me what?" Axel demanded.

Roxas looked up at last, tears streaking down his face. "I'm pregnant."

"What? Are you serious?" Axel asked.

"Yes," Roxas whispered.

"I…I don't know what to say." Axel backed away, looking at his mate like he was an alien.

Without another word, he turned and fled, knocking over two surprised guards in his wake.

"Stop him!" a third guard shouted.

The two downed guards immediately sprang up and followed the other guards down the hallway. Roxas remained where he was, paralyzed by fear. This was the second time Axel had freaked out.

"What on earth was that?" Zexion asked, thunderstruck.

"I have no idea," Roxas answered. "But…" he paused for a moment, trying to form the proper words. "This…this has happened before."

"It has?" Zexion asked, frowning.

"Yes," Roxas answered. "Do you remember when I had to spend three days in confinement with Axel?"

"Yeah," Zexion said slowly.

"Well, the reason why we spent time in confinement together was because…" Roxas paused again. "During the binding ceremony…after Axel kissed me, he suddenly shoved me away from him and ran out."

Zexion was silent for a while, digesting this piece of information Roxas had given him.

"Oh," he finally managed to say. "That's strange."

"I know," Roxas murmured.

"Hey," a new voice called out.

Zexion and Roxas turned. A single young guard walked toward them holding a toilet brush in one hand. Roxas and Zexion both recognized him, though only Roxas knew his name.

"What are you doing here?" Roxas asked.

"I heard that there was a commotion and that you were involved so I wanted to make sure you were all right," Zack answered.

"We're fine," Roxas replied, blushing slightly. "Axel didn't hurt us."

"Axel?" Zack asked, looking rather angry. "I should have known he was behind this." He looked at Roxas and Zexion. "Well, at any rate, it's almost time for breakfast and believe me, you do **not** want to be around when the Breeders come out."

"Yeah, definitely not," Roxas said, chuckling weakly.

"Come on," Zack said, smiling. "I'll take you to your dormitory." He glanced at the toilet brush he was holding. "Aw crap, hold on a second." He jogged off. A few minutes later, he returned without the toilet brush. "All right. We're good." He saw Zexion's curious look and smiled. "I haven't properly introduced myself. My name is Zack. I'm one of the guards. You are Zexion, are you not? Saïx's mate?"

"Yes, I am," Zexion said, surprised. "How did you know that?"

Zack smiled. "Oh, we guards are required to know every Bearer and Breeder here at The Institute."

"Isn't that impossible?" Roxas asked.

"Nah, it's not impossible, just really difficult." Zack laughed.

Roxas and Zexion followed Zack back to the dormitory, but it was deserted.

"Huh." Zack frowned. "They must have already taken the others to breakfast. Well, no worries. I'll take you there myself." Without another word, he led Roxas and Zexion to the cafeteria. "There you are."

"Thank you," Roxas said softly.

Zack smiled. "Hey, no problem."

Three months passed in quick succession. Roxas went in regularly for checkups, but today was different. Today was his first ultrasound. Today, he would find out the gender of his baby.

Roxas reflexively moved his hand over his abdomen, resting it on the taut skin as he sat with Zexion and Demyx at the medical facility, waiting for his appointment. His pregnancy had not started showing yet, but he could feel the skin growing tighter and a very slight bulge beginning to form.

At last, a nurse called Roxas's name. Her lips tightened into a disapproving frown as Zexion and Demyx followed.

"These are my friends. They're here for support. I want them here," Roxas said firmly.

The nurse sighed, but didn't protest. She led them into an examination room. It was larger than the one Roxas had seen when he first arrived at The Institute and felt much more comfortable. The floors were carpeted and the walls were painted with nice pastel colors. The only medical equipment visible in the room was the ultrasound machine set up in the corner next to an examination table.

"Roxas, if you would lay on the table," the nurse said.

Nodding, Roxas lay on the table.

"What about us?" Zexion asked.

"Hold on. I'll bring in some chairs for you," the nurse said.

She vanished for a few moments and returned with two folding chairs, one under each arm. She sat them up across from Roxas so they had a clear view of the ultrasound.

"So Roxas, you're just here for an ultrasound, right?" the nurse asked as Zexion and Demyx sat in the chairs she had set up for them.

"Yes ma'am," Roxas answered.

"Now how far along are you?" the nurse asked.

"Four months," Roxas answered, resting his hand on his abdomen.

"And have you experienced any problems with your pregnancy?" the nurse asked.

"Besides the nausea and vomiting, no," Roxas answered.

"Both of those are normal and should disappear later on in the pregnancy," the nurse said.

"I hope so," Roxas muttered.

He hated the nausea and vomiting most of all. He had always hated throwing up as a child and now that he was pregnant, it was like his own personal brand of hell.

"Dr. Vexen will be in shortly," the nurse said.

Roxas, Zexion, and Demyx were left alone for a while. None of them spoke, too absorbed with their own thoughts. Then, at last, Dr. Vexen came in.

"Hello Roxas. How are you today?" he said with a soft smile.

"Fine," Roxas replied.

"Ah, I see you brought your friends," Dr. Vexen said, eyeing Zexion and Demyx critically.

Demyx opened his mouth to reply, but Zexion elbowed him in the ribs hard and he quickly shut his mouth.

"Roxas asked us to come," Zexion said flatly.

Dr. Vexen nervously cleared his throat. "All right. I'm going to do the ultrasound now. Can you lift up your shirt for me?"

Roxas obediently rolled up his shirt so his belly was exposed. Dr. Vexen put some gel onto the end of a wand and turned on the ultrasound machine.

"This is going to feel a bit cold," Dr. Vexen warned, pressing the wand to Roxas's belly.

Roxas jumped slightly as the cold gel touched his skin. Dr. Vexen was silent for a while, focused on the ultrasound.

Finally, he said, "There's the baby's head. And there you can see the spinal cord. And there…oh my god, I don't believe it!"

"What?" Roxas asked anxiously, sitting up. "Is there something wrong?"

"No," Dr. Vexen said in an amazed tone. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with your children."

"Children?" Roxas asked, puzzled. Then, his eyes widened. "Twins?" His voice went up an octave. "I'm having twins?"

"Yes," Dr. Vexen said.

"Oh my god," Roxas breathed, staring at the ultrasound machine. "Twins."

"Let's see if I can find the heartbeats," Dr. Vexen said.

There were a few moments of silence and then they heard a pair of low thumping sounds. Roxas stopped breathing for a few moments. This was his child, no his children. He was carrying twins. Not one baby, but two. There were two living human beings growing inside of him. Until this point, it didn't seem real, but now that he could actually see his babies growing inside him, it made it very real.

"Let's see…" Dr. Vexen muttered. "Ah yes, it looks like you're carrying a pair of baby boys. Congratulations."

"Boys," Roxas repeated softly. "Two baby boys."

Perhaps it would please Axel if he found out that Roxas was carrying his sons. Sons were most desired at The Institute because they had the potential of being Bearers. Roxas smiled bitterly. Of course, knowing Axel, he wouldn't care either way.

Dr. Vexen switched off the ultrasound machine and handed Roxas a towel so he could wipe the goo off his belly, something Roxas was extremely grateful for. He rolled his shirt back down and stood.

"The babies are both nice and healthy," Dr. Vexen said, peeling off his rubber gloves, and washing his hands. "They're both growing nicely. Come back in a couple weeks for another checkup, okay?"

"Okay." Roxas nodded.

He, Zexion, and Demyx were escorted back to the Bearers' dormitory just in time for lunch.

"You two go ahead," Zexion said. "I…I'll catch up, okay?"

"Are you okay?" Roxas said, a worried expression crossing his face.

Zexion smiled. "I'm fine. Just a bit tired."

Roxas and Demyx reluctantly left. Zexion unsteadily walked across the dormitory until he came to the far wall in the most remote corner of the dormitory. He sank down and buried his face in his knees. He had been holding back his emotions for so long, pushing them down so he wouldn't have to deal with them.

Now he couldn't hold back the tears.

The sobs came quietly at first, then grew louder. He tightly gripped the material of his pants, his chest heaving. It felt like every breath he took filled his chest with fire, threatening to tear him apart.

"Zexion?" a soft voice asked.

There were footsteps, footsteps that Zexion knew well. He didn't look up as someone sat next to him. He didn't need to. He knew who it was, knew whose arm wrapped around him, whose shoulder he leaned on as he sobbed.

At last, Zexion was able to stop crying. He opened his eyes, blurred with tears, and looked at Demyx, sitting quietly beside him. Demyx's face was grim and serious for once, one question written across his face.

"I'm fine," Zexion answered the unasked question.

"No, you're not." Demyx's tone was extremely gentle. "I know you, Zex. I know when you're not okay. Are you…jealous that Roxas got pregnant his first time?"

"No!" Zexion immediately denied. "I…I…I…"

"It's okay, you know," Demyx said softly. "It's okay to admit you're jealous."

"Oh Demyx," Zexion breathed. More tears dripped down his face. "I…I just don't think it's fair! Roxas is pregnant his first time and I'm barren. But I don't want to be jealous of Roxas. He's the sweetest kid I've ever met."

"I know." Demyx gently stroked Zexion's hair.

"I want to forget about all this," Zexion said.

"I know," Demyx replied gently.

Zexion faced Demyx. "Will you help me to forget?"

"If you want me to," Demyx answered. Zexion leaned in closer. "But I don't want you regretting this, okay?"

"I won't," Zexion breathed.

Demyx's breath tickled Zexion's throat. Aquamarine eyes locked on sea green. Two pairs of lips touched. A forbidden kiss. Zexion was the one who deepened it. He wanted, no he _needed_ this kiss. They broke apart for air. Demyx brought Zexion's head closer. He slipped his tongue between Zexion's teeth, exploring every inch of the other's mouth.

"We…can't," Zexion wheezed as Demyx's mouth left his and trailed down his neck, playfully nipping it.

"We won't," Demyx responded softly.

"Roxas will wonder where we are," Zexion said as Demyx's hand slipped up the front of his shirt.

"He'll be fine," Demyx replied, lifting Zexion's shirt up and dropping it on the floor. "God, you're so beautiful,"

Zexion flushed. Demyx nipped at Zexion's shoulder blade.

"Ugh, not too hard," Zexion groaned as Demyx's mouth moved lower. "Don't leave a mark."

"I won't," Demyx said. "I promise."

Zexion rocked back and suddenly, he was laying flat on the floor, Demyx over him, more than lust reflecting in his sea green eyes.

"Please don't hurt me," was all he managed to get out.

"I'd never hurt you," Demyx whispered, burying his face in Zexion's belly.

"Okay," Zexion murmured.

Demyx was fumbling with Zexion's pants. At last, Zexion rolled his eyes and did it himself. He flushed at the evident bulge between his legs. Demyx merely smirked and slid his hand beneath Zexion's boxers. Zexion gasped harshly.

"Do you want me to stop?" Demyx asked worriedly.

"No," Zexion hissed. "Don't stop."

He felt so good, had never felt so good before in his life. Demyx withdrew his hand for a moment and slid down Zexion's boxers. Zexion threw his head back with a groan as Demyx's hand grabbed him again and started moving, gently stroking. All Zexion could do was close his eyes, panting, and wait for the end. At last, it came and Demyx let go, hand dripping.

"I'm sorry," Zexion whispered, staring at Demyx's hand.

"Don't be," Demyx said. All of a sudden, he seemed tense.

"Demyx? What's wrong?" Zexion asked, sitting up.

"You're in heat," Demyx answered stiffly.

"You can tell?" Zexion asked.

"Yeah." Demyx nodded. "You'd better get yourself cleaned up and head to lunch so you and Saïx can…"

"No," Zexion cut him off sharply.

Demyx looked at him, surprised. Zexion took a shaking breath.

"Please," he whispered.

Demyx seemed to understand what he wanted because his eyes widened. "No! We can't."

"I can't go through with sex with Saïx again," Zexion said tearfully. "Every time, he hurts me. It hurts so bad, Demyx. I don't want to go through with it again and again!" Tears were falling, but he didn't care. He didn't even bother to brush them away. "I don't think I'm ever going to get pregnant and it's his fault! He's so rough with me. What if he's damaged me?" He sobbed softly.

"Zexion…" Demyx murmured. "You do know what you're asking, right? You'll commit the ultimate betrayal. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Yes," Zexion said fiercely. "I don't care anymore!"

"All right," Demyx said. "I just had to make sure."

"But what about you?" Zexion asked.

Demyx smiled grimly. "My mind was made up even before you asked. I've wanted you for a while now. I find myself wishing I was a Breeder instead of a Bearer so I could have you instead of that bastard, Saïx. I tried to fight this off for so long, but I don't think I'll be able to any longer."

"Then don't," Zexion responded at a whisper, bringing their lips together again. "Take me. Take me now. Make me yours."

Panting, Demyx brought their lips together. Zexion tugged at Demyx's shirt. Demyx pulled away long enough to take it off. Zexion was already working on Demyx's pants. He wasn't the least bit afraid as Demyx shed the rest of his clothes. Somewhere deep inside him, he had wanted to know Demyx's touch, know all of him. Zexion rolled onto his stomach, then pushed himself up onto all fours as Demyx moved closer, closer than he had ever dared to before. There was no turning back. Demyx was extremely gentle when he touched Zexion, preparing him.

"This is the last time I'll ask," Demyx said. "Do you want this? Really want this?"

"Yes," Zexion breathed.

He whimpered softly when the connection was made at last.

"You okay?" Demyx asked worriedly.

"F…fine," Zexion stammered.

Demyx lightly brushed his lips against Zexion's cheek. Zexion gasped when he felt Demyx start thrusting, going deeper and deeper each time. It felt so good, not like when he was with Saïx. He cried out when he felt Demyx reach his climax, rocking hard against Zexion one last time. Demyx withdrew and collapsed next to Zexion, panting. They were silent for a long time, laying side-by-side. Then, the dormitory door opened.

"Oh fuck," Demyx swore as he and Zexion scrambled to gather their clothes. "We are so fucked."

They both looked up as Zack rounded the corner and stopped. He raked his fingers through his cropped brown hair and sighed.

"Come on," he said softly. "You two better get yourselves cleaned up before the others get back."

"Wait." Demyx blinked, confused. "You're not gonna tell Director Xemnas?"

"No." Zack shook his head.

"Why?" Zexion asked.

"Let's go," Zack said sharply. "Now!"

"Go ahead Zexion," Demyx said. "It'll look suspicious if we go at the same time."

"Good point," Zack said. "All right, I'll take Zexion first and then when he's done I'll come back for you, Demyx."

Zexion silently gathered a fresh set of clothes as well as his shower things and then followed Zack into the bathroom.

"I'll wait outside until you're done, all right?" Zack asked. Zexion only nodded. "All right then."

Zexion chose a shower near the middle and quickly stepped in. He remained motionless underneath the spray of the shower, mulling over what happened. He had just broken the most sacred rule at The Institute, which was punishable by death. He should have felt ashamed that he had betrayed his mate, but he couldn't bring himself to feel guilty. He was slightly sore after his experience with Demyx, but it was nothing like when he had sex with Saïx.

Saïx…

He would go ballistic if he found out what Zexion had done. He would be so pissed that he missed the chance to have sex with Zexion. That was all that mattered to Saïx; sex. Zexion knew that he had to sleep with Saïx again or else he would be suspicious. The next time he had his heat…

Zexion's head snapped up as he realized the full extent of what he had done. Not only had he had sex with someone who was not his mate, he had done so while in heat. There was a chance that Zexion was pregnant. It was slim, but there was still a chance.

"Oh god," he whispered. "What have I done? What the fuck have I done?"

Author's Notes: What, indeed? Originally in this version, they weren't going to have sex until later, like in the original version, but the scene just kind of wrote itself and I decided to keep it this way to make things complicated. Much more complicated. Just how complicated things have become will be clear later. And of course Zack decided to write himself into the scene. Of course, it does make sense. It was most likely his turn to be on dormitory rotation for the Bearers so he'd be stationed outside the dormitory, then when Zexion and Demyx were extremely late, he went to find out why and saw them. Exactly why he's not telling is a secret…for now. :P


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Roxas immediately knew something was wrong when Zexion walked into the classroom after lunch. Roxas had always been sensitive, but with his pregnancy, he had become even more sensitive. It wasn't just the fact that Zexion had skipped lunch that made Roxas suspicious. There was something else, something deeper that was causing Zexion's distress. Roxas couldn't explain it. He just knew. His brows knitted into a frown as Zexion crossed the room and took his place next to him. He wanted to ask Zexion what was wrong, but didn't. Roxas frowned when he realized that Demyx was missing.

He didn't have time to wonder where the brown-haired boy was; Mr. Lexaeus entered the classroom and started the lesson. Five minutes in, the door opened and Demyx entered. He muttered a hasty apology and took his seat on Roxas's other side. Roxas glanced at him as Mr. Lexaeus continued the lesson. His lips were pressed together tightly and Roxas had the feeling that he had his teeth clenched. He seemed…angry about something. Zexion on the other hand, seemed to be on the verge of tears. He kept his head bent low so his face was obscured, but Roxas could sense his distress.

Roxas tried to concentrate on what Mr. Lexaeus was saying, but he couldn't. He kept glancing at Zexion and Demyx. When the lesson finally ended, Demyx quickly gathered his things and hurried out of the room without saying a word to either Roxas or Zexion. Roxas was hurt. Demyx had completely ignored him for the entire lesson. Had he done something wrong that had caused Demyx to not want to talk to him? If he had, maybe there was something Roxas could do to fix the problem.

Roxas turned to Zexion to ask him what he thought they should do about Demyx, but when he saw Zexion's face, the words died in his throat. Zexion was crying silently, tears streaking down his cheeks unchecked.

"Zexion?" Roxas asked softly, stepping closer to his friend. Zexion looked up at Roxas silently. "Oh Zexion. What's wrong?"

Zexion shook his head, unable to speak. More tears rolled down his cheeks. Roxas put a hand on Zexion's shoulder.

"Come on," he said gently. "Let's go back to the dormitory, okay?"

Zexion nodded miserably and pushed himself up. Without a word, he gathered his books and followed Roxas out of the classroom.

When they arrived at the dormitory, Demyx was nowhere to be found. Roxas turned to Zexion, who pressed his lips together into a worried frown.

"I'm gonna go lay down for a while," Zexion said.

"All right," Roxas replied.

He watched Zexion walk slowly toward his bunk and lay down with a sad sigh. Then, Roxas went to his own bunk and sat there to wait for Demyx.

Demyx wandered through the hallways of The Institute with no real destination in mind. He had to be alert in order to evade the guards, but that was something he was good at. After all, he had a lot of practice. It had given him something to do during those sleepless nights when he first arrived at The Institute.

He couldn't return to the Bearers' dormitory, not yet. He needed time to cool off, to think before going back to the dormitory. He rounded a corner and smacked into someone. He went rigid, expecting to be chewed out for wandering around, but he wasn't. A few moments passed where nothing was said. Then, he realized who he had smacked into and relaxed.

"What are you doing here Riku?" he asked in amazement.

"I could ask you the same question," Riku said.

"I've got my reasons," Demyx said.

"As do I," Riku replied.

They stared at each other for a long time, neither of them backing down. Then, at last, Demyx conceded and looked away. Riku stepped forward and brought their lips together for a gentle kiss. Demyx quickly broke the kiss.

Riku looked surprised. "Demyx? What's wrong?"

Demyx didn't answer. He turned away, unable to look his mate in the eye after what he had done. Riku was such a nice boy. He didn't deserve to be betrayed. Demyx was surprised when Riku gently cupped his cheek. He did not resist when Riku turned his head so they were staring at each other, Riku's icy blue eyes locked on Demyx's sea green ones.

"Riku?" Demyx asked breathlessly.

"It's all right Demyx." Riku's tone was extremely gentle. "Whatever is bothering you, you can tell me and I won't be upset. I promise." Demyx sighed. "Please, tell me what's on your mind. I want you to trust me."

Demyx swallowed hard. "I…" he squeezed his eyes shut and tears leaked out of the sides. "I slept with someone else."

"Oh." Riku exhaled softly.

"I'm sorry." Demyx shook his head. "I didn't mean for it to happen."

"I know," Riku said gently.

Demyx opened his eyes and stared at him. "What?"

Riku gently kissed him on the lips. "I'm your mate. I knew you had slept with someone else from the moment we bumped into each other. But…" he sighed, looking pained. "Look, what I'm about to tell you is something you can't repeat to anyone, okay?"

"All right." Demyx nodded, bewildered.

"The Breeders aren't exactly faithful to their mates," Riku said.

"What?" Demyx demanded, thunderstruck. "What do you mean?"

"We're a bunch of teenage boys who aren't allowed to have sex unless our mates go into heat and who live in close quarters with each other. What the fuck do you think I mean?" Riku snapped.

"So the Breeders are all having sex with each other?" Demyx asked, still very bewildered.

"Well, not exactly," Riku answered uncomfortably. "We're not having sex all the time, but if we do get the…uh…urge…we have each other to cope with that."

"I see," Demyx murmured. "So…uh…just out of curiosity, do you know who's…um…with whom?"

"Well, it's hard to say because everyone's pretty discreet about it, but…I know for sure that Axel and Bryan are together," Riku said.

"Bryan?" Demyx frowned.

"One of Axel's friends. He has dark, curly hair," Riku said.

"Oh yeah." Demyx's face brightened as he recalled who Bryan was. "Are they really…?"

"Yeah." Riku nodded. "I've seen it. I…accidentally walked in on them one day when they were…well, you know." Demyx blushed. "Man was Axel pissed off. He wanted to kick my ass so hard, but Bryan convinced him not to."

"Fuck," Demyx muttered. "So wait. Who are _you_ with then?" Riku shifted uncomfortably. "C'mon, you can tell me. I'm not gonna get mad. I promise. I'm just curious."

"I'll tell you if you tell me who you slept with," Riku said, grinning lightly.

"Fair enough." Demyx couldn't help smiling.

"Sora," Riku said.

"Sora? Sweet little Sora?" Demyx demanded. Riku nodded. "Damn."

"I came clean so now it's your turn," Riku said.

"All right." Demyx sighed. "It was Zexion."

"Zexion?" Riku asked. "Saïx's mate?"

"Yeah." Demyx nodded.

"Holy fuck," Riku breathed. "Saïx will be pissed if he finds out."

"You won't tell, will you?" Demyx asked anxiously.

"No, of course not," Riku answered soothingly. "I'm just a bit surprised. But hey, it could be worse."

"Worse? How could it be worse?" Demyx asked, raking his fingers through his hair in his agitation.

"You could have fucked Roxas and risked Axel's anger," Riku answered.

Demyx winced. "Ooh, point taken. I'd never do that even if I was madly in love with Roxas. I'm sorry, but Axel scares me."

"Scares me too," Riku muttered. "And ninety-nine percent of the people here at The Institute."

Demyx chuckled. "You're right. I think even Dr. Vexen is afraid of him and he's Axel's _doctor_."

"Yeah." Riku started chuckling now. "On the subject of our favorite temperamental redhead, I was wondering…how is Roxas doing? He's pregnant, right?"

"Yeah." Demyx nodded. "Had his ultrasound today. Got quite a shock."

"Oh?" Riku pressed.

"He's carrying twins," Demyx said with a smirk.

Riku's expression morphed into one of surprise. "Twins? Seriously?"

"Yeah," Demyx said. "Two baby boys."

"Wow," Riku breathed.

"Hey, do me a favor, all right?" Demyx asked. "Can you not mention this to anyone until after Roxas has a chance to tell Axel?"

"Of course," Riku answered reassuringly. "I understand."

"Thanks," Demyx said.

They drew closer to each other until their lips were almost touching…

"Hey! What the hell do you two think you're doing?" an angry shout caused them to jump apart.

"We were…we were…" Demyx faltered.

"We were on our way to the Breeding rooms," Riku said quickly. The guard and Demyx both stared at him. "Demyx is in heat and we were going to…take care of it, but I couldn't stop myself from kissing him."

The guard looked like he believed Riku. "You'd better go before the others catch on."

"You're right." Riku nodded. He turned to Demyx. "Let's go."

"Okay," Demyx quickly agreed.

He took Riku's outstretched hand and allowed his mate to lead him down the hallways.

"Thanks," he muttered once they were out of earshot. "Thanks for lying to that guard like that."

"I wasn't lying, not completely at least," Riku replied.

"You…!" Demyx gasped. "Aw hell. I wasn't expecting this."

"Don't worry, it'll be over soon," Riku said grimly.

Demyx knew he was right as they finished their journey to the Breeding rooms. All the guards they passed on their way seemed to know what they were planning to do because they let them go without trying to stop them.

At last, they arrived at their destination. Riku entered first, followed by Demyx. Riku closed and locked the door behind them. Then, he turned to Demyx, who waited patiently.

Riku quickly closed the distance between them. Demyx gazed calmly at him as he approached. That was one of the things Riku loved about his mate; he was absolutely fearless. He wasn't afraid of his mate, not like the other Bearers who were absolutely terrified of their mates.

"Something wrong?" Demyx asked, breaking Riku out of his thoughts.

"No, nothing's wrong," Riku answered, flashing a smile at his mate.

He leaned in and brought their lips together again. He worked quickly to free Demyx from his clothing, then stripped off his own clothing. He took Demyx slowly, carefully. That was one thing they always reiterated in class; they had to be careful with the Bearers. It wasn't like they were made out of glass or anything, but they couldn't be rough with them because bad things could happen. Plus, the Bearers would be upset and the last thing the Breeders wanted to do was upset them. They needed to be treated with respect, seen as equals.

Some of the Breeders ignored this and refused to give their mates the respect they deserved, but not Riku. He wasn't like the others and he knew it. He was fine with that. He didn't want to fit in with the others; it wasn't his style. He preferred to stand out. That was why he liked to dye his hair odd colors; to stand out from all the other Breeders.

When he had finished, Riku withdrew and lay quietly next to his mate for some time, watching him. Demyx's sea green eyes were filled with confusion. Riku reached over and gently cupped his mate's cheek.

"I know you're really confused right now about your relationship with Zexion," he said softly.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do," Demyx whimpered.

Riku felt a wave of sympathy for his mate. Usually, Demyx was so strong. It killed Riku to see him so upset, so unsure of himself.

"Do what you feel is right," he whispered.

Demyx could only nod.

Author's Notes: And there's Riku, Demyx's mate. One of the biggest problems with the original was that Riku didn't come into the story until near the very end, which is kind of silly since he *is* Demyx's mate and all. So this time, Riku makes an appearance earlier. And hopefully he'll appear a couple more times. He really is a sweet guy. And yes, he and Sora are…together. I should probably have the next chapter up next Friday, but after that, well my Medical Terminology class starts March 4 so I'm not sure how that will affect my update schedule. Reviews are loved, as always. Thanks to Ldrmas for pointing out my mistake. It has been corrected.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"We need to talk."

Those were the words that greeted Demyx as he entered the Bearers' dormitory after dinner. He waited until the others were at dinner to grab some clean clothes so he could take a shower, then left his dirty clothes in the dormitory and wandered around until well after dinner had ended. He hadn't been hungry, so missing the meal wasn't a big deal.

He wanted to keep his interaction with Zexion to a minimum until he could sort out his feelings for him. Unfortunately, that meant he also had to avoid Roxas. He knew it hurt Roxas's feelings—he saw the expression on Roxas's face when he left the afternoon lesson without even acknowledging his or Zexion's existence. He knew he had hurt Roxas almost as much as he had hurt Zexion and that made him feel horrible.

Now, he felt even worse as Roxas approached him as he entered the dormitory. There was so much pain written across Roxas's face, but now there was something more, something Demyx had hardly seen—anger. It rarely appeared on his face; Roxas was usually so kind and gentle. However, there were times when even Roxas could be pushed and when that happened, he would lash out at whoever pushed him. Ninety-nine percent of the time, that was Axel. Roxas wasn't afraid to tell Axel what he thought of him, so Demyx expected to be treated no differently. He was fully expecting Roxas to yell at him, call him horrible names. And he knew he deserved it. The way he had treated them, especially Zexion, was horrible. So he knew what to expect from Roxas, at least he thought he did.

"Let's go somewhere more private to talk," Demyx said softly.

Roxas nodded and followed Demyx out. The blonde-brown haired boy quickly explained to the guards what they were doing before disappearing down the hallway. He knew the guards were following, but didn't care; they knew to keep their distance unless there was an emergency.

"Here, we can talk in here," Demyx said, peering into an empty classroom.

They entered the classroom and Demyx flipped on the lights. They sat on top of the desks, silent for a while, eyes looking anywhere but at each other. Demyx couldn't remember ever feeling this awkward around Roxas before—there was just something about the blonde that made Demyx feel at ease around him.

"So how is Zexion?" Demyx finally dared to ask.

"Why do you care?" Roxas snapped.

Demyx's eyes widened at Roxas's harsh tone. Even with Axel, Roxas had never been this sharp before. "What do you mean?"

"You don't seem to care about him," Roxas said.

"What do you mean?" Demyx asked angrily. "Of course I care about him."

"Well you sure have a funny way of showing it," Roxas growled.

"What are you talking about?" Demyx demanded.

"Why the hell have you been avoiding him all day?" Roxas asked. "Do you know how hurt he is?"

Demyx winced. "Is it really that bad?"

"He cried himself to sleep," Roxas said flatly.

"Fuck," Demyx muttered, running his fingers through his cropped hair. "I never wanted this to happen."

"What exactly did you do to him?" Roxas asked.

"Why do you think I did something to him?" Demyx shot back.

"Hmm, let's see, maybe because you refused to look at him during our afternoon lesson and you seemed to be angry," Roxas said.

Demyx flushed. "I didn't know it was that obvious."

"It wasn't." Roxas's lips curled into a tight smile. "I could sense it. Just like I could sense Zexion's distress." The smile suddenly dropped. "So what's going on between you and Zexion?"

"Nothing," Demyx lied. "There's nothing going on between the two of us."

"Bullshit," Roxas growled. "I know there's something going on between you and Zexion."

"It's none of your business," Demyx said coldly.

"The hell it isn't," Roxas snarled. "When you hurt Zexion, you made it my business. Now tell me. What's going on between you and Zexion?"

"Nothing," Demyx stressed. "There is nothing going on."

"Don't fucking lie to me!" Roxas shouted. His tone softened. "I'm your friend. You can trust me."

"I know." Demyx swallowed hard. "I trust you, but…" he sighed softly and ran his fingers through his hair again, making it stand on end. "This is something I need to work out by myself. You can't help me. Do you understand?"

"I guess so." Roxas nodded. Suddenly, his eyes flashed with anger. "Until you get your head straight or whatever, stay away from Zexion. I won't have you hurting him anymore."

Demyx would have loved to point out to Roxas that he wasn't in any position to defend Zexion from him, but thought better of it when he saw how fiercely Roxas glared at him. Pregnant or not, Roxas was still a force to be reckoned with when he was angry.

"Right" Demyx muttered. "We should probably get back."

"Yeah," Roxas agreed.

After everything that had happened today, he was exhausted and he knew he needed the rest. 

Breakfast the next morning was tense. Demyx refused to meet their eyes as Roxas and Zexion stood in line for breakfast. He did not join them as they sat at their usual table and he sat away from them when they arrived for their first lesson.

Roxas ignored him completely, focused instead on Zexion. He looked even worse than last night; his eyes were red and puffy from crying, his dark hair matted and messy. He rested his head on his arms, aquamarine eyes staring blankly at the wall. Roxas put a gentle hand on his friend's back, though Zexion didn't stir. Roxas looked up and caught a glimpse of Axel talking to his dark-haired friend. In an instant, his mind was made up.

"I'll be right back," he told Zexion softly. He received no response.

Roxas knew he was crazy for doing this, but he knew it was the right thing to do. He cautiously approached the Breeders' side of the room, carefully squeezing in between the guards. They stared at him, though didn't try to stop him from crossing over to the Breeders' side of the room. Roxas let out a shaky breath and walked over to Axel and his friend. He was met by two pairs of eyes, one emerald green, the other blue-grey, neither of them friendly.

"What do you want?" Axel asked.

Roxas's eyes darted to his companion, who had wild dark curls. "Who's he?"

"You didn't answer my question," Axel growled.

"Answer my question first and then I'll answer yours. Maybe," Roxas said calmly. His eyes rested on Axel's companion once again. "Who is he?"

"My name is Bryan," Axel's companion finally said. "I'm Axel's friend."

Roxas looked to Axel for confirmation. Axel merely nodded.

"Now what the hell do you want?" Axel demanded.

Roxas swallowed hard. "I wanted to tell you that I had my ultrasound yesterday. I'm carrying twins."

This caught Axel off-guard. "Wait, what? But twins don't run in my family."

"Then they must run in my family," Roxas said.

"You think so?" Axel asked.

"I…don't know for sure." Roxas shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know my family as well as you do." Axel frowned. "I was raised by a foster family."

"Uh…" Someone nervously cleared their throat behind Roxas. Roxas turned to find Zack standing there. "Class is about to start. You should probably go back to your seat."

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. He turned around and started to walk away, but then stopped when a thought occurred to him, and turned to face Axel once more. "Just so you know, the twins are both boys."

"And I care because…?" Axel sneered.

"They're your children. You're obligated to care about them," Roxas said.

"No, I'm not." Axel shook his head. "Why should I care about the brats? I'm never going to see them after they're born."

"That doesn't mean that you're not obligated to care for them. They're your sons. You are half of them, you make up half of what they are. Doesn't that matter to you at all?" Roxas shouted.

"No," Axel answered, glaring at his mate.

"Really?" Roxas asked. "You don't care at all?" He suddenly moved in closer to Axel, so their faces were only inches apart.

"N…no," Axel stammered.

Roxas smirked. He moved as though to kiss Axel, but at the last moment, pulled away. Axel growled softly.

"Don't do that," he hissed.

"Do what?" Roxas asked in a falsely innocent voice.

"That!" Axel shouted.

"What?" Roxas asked, a small smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"Stop toying with me!" Axel yelled.

The entire room fell silent as all attention turned toward them. Even Zexion had lifted his head from his arms and watched the growing argument between the two mates.

Roxas's smile suddenly disappeared. "Oh, like you're one to talk?"

"Shut up!" Axel hissed angrily. "You don't know anything about me!"

"I know enough," Roxas said coldly. "I know you were hurt in the past. I know that's why you refuse to let anyone in. You were hurt and you're afraid of being hurt again."

When Axel rose angrily from his desk, two other actions occurred simultaneously. First, Bryan rose and grabbed Axel's arm. Second, Zack stepped forward, closing the distance between him and Roxas. Within the space of only a couple seconds, the atmosphere in the room went from being relaxed and casual to tense and anxious. No one dared to move, save for Bryan, who tightened his grip on Axel's arm.

"Axel, please," he whispered. "You have to calm down." Axel ignored him. "Axel!"

"Let me go," Axel muttered. Bryan's grip only tightened.

"Let go of me!"

"No," Bryan said. "Not until you calm down."

"I said let go of me! Axel yelled.

He shoved Bryan hard. Roxas cried out as Bryan collided with his desk, grunting softly in pain and crumpling to the floor between his and Axel's desks. Zack reacted purely out of instinct, grabbing Roxas and pulling him back as Axel stormed away. No one dared to stop him or even follow him as he left the classroom. Once Axel was gone, Zack turned to see if Roxas was all right, but found that he had hurried to Bryan's side.

"Are you all right?" Roxas asked in a hushed voice as he kneeled beside the dark-haired boy on the floor.

"Yeah, I think so." Bryan winced as he sat up.

"I'm sorry," Roxas whispered frantically. "I shouldn't have said those things to him. I shouldn't have pushed him like that."

"It's okay," Bryan said. "If anything, it's his fault for not being able to face the truth."

"So…I was right?" Roxas asked.

"Pretty much, yeah," Bryan answered. "Ahh!"

He had been trying to stand, but when he grabbed the side of his desk to help pull himself up, he had felt a sharp pain in his left wrist and let go, causing him to fall back.

"Are you okay?" Roxas asked anxiously. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Bryan lied. "Just moved my wrist the wrong way."

Roxas didn't look like he believed him, but didn't say anything more about it. He allowed Zack to lead him back to the Bearers' side of the room and took his seat next to Zexion.

"What was that all about?" Zexion asked.

Roxas merely shrugged.

"All right, settle down now," the teacher snapped, moving to the front of the room. The talking died down at once. "All right. Now today we're going to cover a very important period of time for the Bearers—the foundation of The Institute.

"The number of Bearers remaining in the world was dangerously low and there were concerns that the Bearers would die out completely…"

Roxas rested his chin in the palm of his hand and pretended like he was paying attention when really he was thinking about the events that had just occurred, especially what Bryan had said. He had pretty much confirmed Roxas's suspicions about why Axel acted the way he did—he had been hurt in the past and was trying to prevent himself from being hurt again. Roxas would never hurt his mate, not on purpose, even though Axel was a bastard. The trick was to convince Axel to trust him, something that would not be easy.

Author's Notes: Oh. My. God. I hate. This. Chapter. Not because I hate the way it turned out or anything, but because it was such a pain in the _ass_ to write. I had so much trouble writing the argument between Roxas and Demyx and even now, I'm not completely satisfied with it, but oh well. I *did* have fun writing that scene between Roxas and Axel. Roxas has a mean streak in him, which is good because he came off as being too nice the first time. He's playing with fire, perhaps, especially where Axel is concerned, but he knows this and is careful. And once again, Zack has written himself into the scene. Attention whore. I'm not sure if I'll be able to update next week or if it'll be the week after that. It depends on how busy I am and how I'm able to balance everything I need to do homework wise. So I'll upload when I can. And please point out any errors I've made. I want this to be as perfect as possible and though I've proofread this there are still likely to be errors. So please help me make this perfect.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Roxas was glad when it was finally Friday. That meant he had two whole days without lessons. Even better, the only time he had to deal with Axel was at their meals and even then, it was very easy to ignore him. The only downside was that he had to deal with Demyx all weekend, something he was not looking forward to at all. But first, he had to get through his lessons.

Sighing, Roxas rested his chin in the palm of his hand and tried to pay attention. It was difficult; the teacher wasn't exceptionally interesting when he lectured and Roxas found it extremely difficult to pay attention. He forced himself to stay awake as the teacher droned on about the first years of The Institute.

He was extremely glad when the lesson was finally over and they were dismissed. The Breeders left first, as always, followed by the Bearers. Changing in the locker room was tense due to Demyx's locker being between Zexion and Roxas's, but the two blondes pretended that Demyx didn't exist and Demyx continued to ignore them as well. He swiftly changed into his swimming trunks and rushed off. Zexion and Roxas pretended that they hadn't seen him at all.

Axel blew air through his teeth as he waited for the Bearers to exit their locker room so class could begin. He was anxious for the day to be over so the weekend could start. More than that, he was anxious for the swimming lesson to be over with.

At last, the Bearers' locker room door opened and the Bearers filed out. Axel stared as Roxas and Saïx's mate exited the locker room last. Saïx's mate looked like he had been crying again; his eyes were red and puffy and he looked ill. Roxas was sticking close to Saïx's mate and Axel soon saw why; Roxas's pregnancy was starting to show. It was only a little bit, but it was becoming more obvious that he was carrying. Axel turned away as Roxas turned toward him, one of his familiar glares on his face.

"What's with you?" Bryan asked in an undertone as the teachers called the class to order.

"Nothing," Axel answered hastily.

"Mmm, now would 'nothing' happen to have blonde hair, blue eyes, and a rather chilling glare?" Bryan asked, the corners of his lips turning up into a smile. Axel looked at him, startled. Bryan laughed softly. "Don't worry, he's not glaring at you. For once."

"Really? Who's he glaring at?" Axel asked before he could stop himself.

"Riku's mate," Bryan answered.

This caught Axel's attention. He turned around and indeed, Riku's mate was on the receiving end of one of Roxas's glares. Axel frowned. That was strange—he, Saïx's mate, and Roxas were usually inseparable. Now, however, something had come between them and Axel guessed it had something to do with Riku and Saïx's mates. Exactly what was going on was something Axel could only guess about.

The Bearers and Breeders moved to opposite ends of the pool, Bearers in the shallow end, and Breeders in the deep end. The Breeders lined up outside the pool and took turns practicing their diving. Axel stood at the back of the line with Bryan, anxiously awaiting his turn. He hated the water with a vengeance, had hated it since he was a boy.

He tried to swallow his fear as he stood at the edge of the pool. He stared down at the still water and his reflection stared back at him. He took a shaking breath, hoping that no one saw his fear. He hated being seen as weak more than anything. Axel closed his eyes and dove into the water.

It was cold, shockingly so. It reminded him of when he was a child, when he was being punished by his father. He would force Axel's head into a basin of ice water and hold it there for as long as he saw fit. Axel struggled, he always struggled, but it never did any good.

Axel struggled now to find air. At last, he reached the surface, and took in several deep breaths. Coughing and choking on water, Axel pushed his sopping bangs out of his eyes, then paddled to the side of the pool. He grabbed the edge and tried to pull himself up only to fail miserably. He was unable to find a sturdy enough grip and fell backward into the water. He slipped beneath the surface and sank down.

His feet lightly touched the bottom about eight or nine feet down and he pushed off to give himself enough momentum to reach the surface. He could tell he was running out of air and so swam harder in order to make it. He could see the surface coming nearer and nearer, but his lungs were burning and he wasn't sure he could hold out much longer.

Suddenly, he felt something grab his arm and drag him to the surface just in time. He took in several deep breaths, trying to refill his lungs with oxygen. He felt light-headed and closed his eyes to try and ward off the dizziness he felt. He would have slipped beneath the surface again had it not been for the arm that wrapped around his waist and kept him afloat.

"Easy there," a voice said in his ear. "Don't worry. I've got you."

Axel didn't know who was speaking to him, nor did he really care; he was focusing on trying not to pass out. He felt himself being lifted up and laid on his side.

"Axel?" the voice was back. Someone gave him a gentle shake. "I don't know if he's breathing or not!"

"Turn him on his back," a second voice said.

Axel felt himself being rolled onto his back, but kept his eyes closed.

"What's going on? Is he okay?" a third voice asked, more panicked than the first two.

"Roxas, stay back," the first voice said sharply.

"No," Roxas answered in a tone as sharp as the first voice. "He's my mate. I have every right to be here."

"No, you need to stay back so we can help him," the first voice said calmly.

"No! Let me go! Let me go!" Roxas screamed.

"Roxas, you need to calm down," a new voice said. "It's not good for you to get worked up like this. Think of the twins."

Axel heard a soft sigh. "You're right. I'm sorry, Zexion."

Axel frowned. Zexion? Who was that? It took him a couple moments to remember that Zexion was Saïx's mate. What was he doing among the Breeders? What was Roxas doing there, for that matter?

"Hey, I think he's finally coming around," a new voice. "Axel? Axel, can you hear me?"

Axel answered with a groan. He finally forced his eyes open and stared up into the anxious faces of Bryan, Roxas, both gym teachers, and Saïx's mate. All of them relaxed considerably when they saw that Axel was awake.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" Bryan asked softly. Axel groaned. "Yeah, I don't blame you."

"Take it easy," the male gym teacher said as Axel slowly sat up.

Axel barely protested when he felt Bryan supporting him—he was much too tired to protest at the moment. He allowed Bryan to help him up and walk him to the locker room.

Roxas watched them go with a slight pang of jealousy. He wished that he could be the one to take care of his mate. After all, wasn't that what he was supposed to do, what he was obligated to do? Yet he couldn't do that and it hurt. He hated seeing Bryan with his arm around Axel like that. It hurt to know that he trusted Bryan like that and not him, not his own mate!

Roxas blinked at the sudden surge of emotions. Where the hell had they come from? Why the hell was he jealous of the relationship between Axel and Bryan, whatever that was? Axel was his mate, but it wasn't like they saw each other that much. In fact, the only time they really interacted with each other when Roxas was in heat. Roxas blamed his hormones for the sudden onslaught of emotions that were so foreign to him.

The rest of the lesson went without a hitch. Neither Axel nor Bryan returned, nor did they appear at lunch. Roxas frowned when he realized that both Axel and his friend were missing and thought it was weird, but he wasn't worried. Somehow, he knew that Axel was all right. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew just the same.

Axel sat in the Breeders' dormitory on the ground, in the back corner. He was trying hard to control his breathing, difficult as it was. Bryan sat beside him, blue-grey eyes watching him carefully. He didn't speak; he didn't need to. He seemed to know exactly what Axel needed, had always seemed to know. He knew that right now, Axel needed someone to sit with him, a physical being to reassure him that he wasn't alone. Bryan was willing to be this for Axel. He would be anything Axel needed. He cared deeply for Axel, though he would never let Axel know just how much he cared for him. The only thing that would lead to was heartbreak and Bryan couldn't bear to go through that again.

Roxas sat in the back of the classroom with Zexion, waiting for their afternoon lesson to begin. Neither of them spoke, both of them too wrapped up with their own thoughts.

Roxas was thinking about Axel. He didn't know why, but he couldn't stop thinking about him. The incident today during their weekly swimming lesson had been extremely bizarre. Axel had been acting weird for the entire lesson, which had ended with him nearly drowning.

He didn't really know how it had happened; he hadn't been paying attention to the Breeders taking diving practice. All of a sudden, he heard frantic shouts coming from the deep end of the pool. He looked up in time to see Bryan dive gracefully into the water. He stayed under for a very long time. When he finally surfaced, he dragged Axel with him. Several other Breeders rushed forward and pulled Axel out of the water.

He hadn't moved for a very long time, which had scared Roxas. He wasn't afraid to admit that he had been scared when he saw Axel laying on the tiled floor that surrounded the pool, extremely still. It was a tense couple of minutes, but Axel finally opened his eyes and sat up. After that, Bryan helped him to his feet and they disappeared into the Breeders' locker room. Since then, they hadn't been seen, though Roxas wasn't worried. His instincts told him that Axel was fine.

Zexion, on the other hand, was thinking about Demyx. Again. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about him for some reason. He hated that he and Demyx weren't talking to each other. In all honesty, he missed Demyx. He missed him a lot. He had been Zexion's first and, until Roxas came along, only friend. Now, he had probably lost Demyx's friendship forever. Sighing quietly, Zexion turned his attention back to the front of the room as Mr. Lexaeus began the lesson.

"Today, I'm going to talk about a very special topic," Mr. Lexaeus said. "It is something that is not completely understood because it rarely occurs. It involves a mated pair.

"They will rarely form a Bond, a special link that is stronger than any other bond. A Bonded pair will know each other's feelings and it's even said they can communicate with each other without speaking out loud. Of course, there is no way to prove that Bonds actually exist because they are extremely rare with less than one percent of mated couples forming one. There are some who do not believe these Bonds exist at all…"

Roxas's attention waned as Mr. Lexaeus babbled on about the nature of Bonds and he found it harder and harder to pay attention. It was especially hard today because it was Friday afternoon and they were so close to being finished for the weekend. At last, Mr. Lexaeus dismissed them for a quick break and then they reconvened for a study period.

As usual during the study period, not a lot got done, less so since it was Friday. Mr. Lexaeus didn't seem to mind, though, and instead of reprimanding them for screwing around, sat at his desk, and opened a newspaper.

The hour dragged by slowly. Roxas passed the time by doodling in his notebook that was designated for his History lesson. Zexion napped.

At last, the timer Mr. Lexaeus used to keep track of the passing time started chiming. Mr. Lexaeus lowered his newspaper and turned the timer off.

"Well, that's it for this lesson. Have a good weekend and I'll see you on Monday," he said. "You're dismissed."

The Bearers hurried to leave, eager to begin the weekend. Roxas moved more slowly, mindful of the babies he carried. Zexion waited patiently for him, watching as he gathered his things and then walked over to where his friend stood.  
>"Are you ready for the weekend?" Roxas asked.<p>

Zexion smiled weakly. "Yeah. Let's go."

Together, the two friends headed for the Bearers' dormitory.

I hate this chapter because it was a pain to write. The swimming scene stalled for a _really _long time. The plot didn't go anywhere, but the swimming scene helps delve a bit more into Axel's past and even Bryan's a little. The next chapter will definitely get the plot going again.

I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to update because I have a ton of Medical Terminology studying to do but I love you guys so much that I decided to update and not make you wait until next Friday. That being said, I will *try* to have the next chapter up next Friday but I'm not making any promises.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Roxas's eyes narrowed as he and Zexion entered the Bearers' dormitory. At once, Zexion saw why; Demyx was heading for them. Demyx's eyes were lowered as he approached, refusing to meet the gaze of either of them.

"What the hell do you want?" Roxas hissed.

Demyx raised his eyes at last. "I'd like to speak to Zexion, alone."

"And what makes you think he wants to talk to you?" Roxas growled.

"It's okay, Roxas," Zexion said softly, pushing past his friend. He gazed at Demyx levelly. "I'm willing to speak with him. I'm going to take a shower before dinner. Perhaps you'd like to come and we can talk then?"

"Sure." Demyx nodded. "I'll get my shower stuff and take a shower too."

"All right," Zexion agreed.

They grabbed their things and met at the entrance to the Bearers' dormitory. At the very last second, Roxas grabbed Zexion and pulled him aside.

"What are you doing?" Roxas asked angrily.

"I'm talking to Demyx. What does it look like I'm doing?" Zexion asked almost as angrily.

"I know what it looks like," Roxas hissed. "What I mean is…why are you doing this?"

"Because Demyx deserves a second chance," Zexion said. At Roxas's incredulous stare, he added, "Yes, I know he hurt me…hurt us, but you're the one who's always saying we should give people a second chance, right? Even scumbags like Aleksei deserve to be shown kindness even when they don't deserve it, right?" Roxas slowly nodded. "That's what Demyx deserves too. He messed up bad, but I think he really cares and he really wants to patch things up. Besides, I…" he bit his lip. "I really miss him, Roxas."

"I know," Roxas said, his expression softening slightly. "I miss him too."

"Trust me, okay?" Zexion asked. "I know what I'm doing."

Roxas reluctantly nodded. "If he hurts you again, I'll hurt him. Pregnant or not, I'm still gonna kick his ass."

Zexion smiled grimly. "If he does, I might just let you."

Roxas laughed softly.

Demyx was waiting for Zexion outside the Bearers' dormitory. He did not ask what had held Zexion up and Zexion was glad for it. They walked to the bathroom in silence, followed by a pair of guards, who waited outside. Demyx put his things in a separate shower stall and then joined Zexion in his shower stall. They sat next to each other on the bench in the changing area, silent for a while.

"So…" Demyx exhaled softly.

"So…?" Zexion echoed.

Demyx turned to him. "We need to talk about…about what happened."

"I know," Zexion whispered. "It's hard."

"Yeah." Demyx nodded.

There was an awkward silence that passed between them.

"God fucking damn it!" Demyx burst out at last. Zexion looked at him, startled. "I hate this so fucking much. I hate that we're not talking anymore and that things are awkward between us now. I miss talking to you and Roxas. I hanging out with you guys. I miss _you._"

"I do too," Zexion whispered. "But we can't go back. Everything's changed now, hasn't it?"

"Yeah." Demyx nodded. "So this is it, then? We can't be friends anymore because of one stupid mistake?"

"Is that what you consider this?" Zexion asked coldly. "A mistake? If I remember correctly, you wanted this as much as I did."

"Don't do that." Demyx scowled. Zexion looked at him questioningly. "Don't make me out to be the bad guy."

"I wasn't trying to," Zexion said. "I blame myself for what happened."

"We're both to blame," Demyx said softly. "But you know we can't be together."

"Of course I know it," Zexion snapped. "But you're saying we can't even be friends anymore."

"I…I don't know," Demyx said uncertainly. "I don't know what to think anymore!"

"It's over, Demyx," Zexion whispered, tears streaking down his face. "We ruined our friendship by pretending we were something we're not. I thought I could give you another chance, but I can't. I can't bear it anymore." He gazed at Demyx through eyes clouded with tears. "You know, don't you Demyx? You're going to do the right thing. I can tell."

"I have to," Demyx said softly. "I can't be around you anymore. All I ever think about you anymore is you. I know it's wrong because you're not mine. You'll never be mine. Even though I'd like to pretend you're mine, you'll always be Halen's. I can't do this anymore. I can't fight for you."

"I understand," Zexion whispered.

Demyx rose and headed for the door. "Goodbye, Zexion."

Zexion remained where he was for a very long time, trying to control himself. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop the tears. Somehow, he knew this was coming. He knew that things couldn't be repaired between Demyx and him. They had gone too far, pushed the boundaries of their relationship, way past their limits. He thought he could handle this, but he couldn't.

He looked up in surprise as the door suddenly slammed open and Demyx strode in, looking extremely angry. Zexion rose and tried to ask Demyx what the hell he was doing, but the words died in his throat when Demyx slammed their lips together for a harsh kiss.

"A…Demyx?" he stammered once Demyx pulled away.

"I lied," Demyx said. "I want to fight for you. I want you to be mine, even if I have to pretend, even if you can never truly be mine."

Zexion felt his heartbeat increase exponentially as he stared into Demyx's eyes, pools of blue green that burned with an intensity Zexion had never seen before. He knew somehow, that Demyx meant every word he said. He wanted them to be together even though it was illegal, even though they could get killed. It didn't matter anymore; all that mattered was Zexion. Somehow, Zexion knew they would make it work, even though it could destroy them both.

Zexion stepped forward, heat still pounding in his chest, and pressed his lips to Demyx's. Demyx stepped back, shocked. But then, he smiled; Zexion's actions spoke volumes.

Demyx brought their lips together again, gently this time. Zexion allowed himself to open up to Demyx, allowed Demyx to explore every inch of him. Clothes were shed in a hurry, neither of them caring what happened just as long as their restrictive clothes were gone, so they could be free to explore each other's bodies.

Then they were moving backward, stumbling into the shower. Zexion was confused for a moment, but then he understood. The shower would help cover their tracks so no one would suspect anything. It was bold and cunning, so unlike Demyx.

Demyx fumbled for the faucet and soon, they were doused with icy cold water. Muttering curses under his breath, Demyx fiddled with the faucet until the water turned warm. Then, he turned his attention back to Zexion. Their mouths suctioned together while their bodies connected. Zexion uttered a soft whimper, Demyx a hastily apology. Fingers twined together as they rocked hard against the shower wall, panting and gasping with each thrust.

Finally, it was over, and the two disconnected, Demyx carefully supporting Zexion until he could find his feet again. They stood together motionless beneath the shower spray, fingers intertwined as they tried to catch their breath. Then, Demyx reluctantly let go of Zexion and gave him one more deep, passionate kiss before heading to his own shower stall.

With Demyx gone, Zexion had to lean against the wall for support. He remained that way for a very long time, then finally straightened up, and began to wash his hair.

A while later, he heard Demyx call out that he was done and would go on without Zexion, and Zexion called out his assent. It was better that way; people would be suspicious if they left the bathroom together, especially since Zexion's hair was much longer than Demyx's and therefore took much longer to wash.

Zexion finished his shower and dressed in haste, hoping that he wouldn't miss too much of dinner. He carefully brushed his wet hair so it wouldn't tangle and then, in a flash of inspiration, separated it into three strands, and started braiding it. He had a small piece of material with him that he used to tie off the end with in lieu of a rubber band and looked at his handiwork with satisfaction. Then, he gathered his things and returned to the Bearers' dormitory, the one remaining guard silently trailing behind him. He left his things on his bed and headed for dinner with the one guard as his only company.

Roxas sensed something had changed the moment stepped into the cafeteria. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew it was there. He, along with everyone else in the cafeteria watched as Demyx and the single guard escorting him crossed the cafeteria and talked to one of the ladies who distributed the meals. Demyx was able to procure a tray of food that he brought over to Roxas's table.

"Can I…can I sit with you?" he asked hesitatingly.

Roxas nodded curtly. Demyx set his tray down and sat in the seat across from Roxas. Neither of them spoke for a very long time.

"Have you and Zexion worked out whatever problems you were having?" Roxas finally asked.

"Yeah." Demyx nodded.

"Good," Roxas said stiffly.

There was an awkward silence.

"Look, I'm sorry I ignored you before," Demyx said. "I just needed some space to think."

"It's all right," Roxas said softly. "I understand." Demyx seemed to relax at Roxas's words. "So, where is Zexion?"

"Still in the bathroom," Demyx said, making a point to roll his eyes so Roxas wouldn't suspect anything. "He takes forever to shower because of his hair. He'll be along shortly."

Roxas smiled for the first time in a while and nodded. He and Demyx started their dinners. Roughly around ten minutes later, Zexion entered the cafeteria, followed by single guard, drawing all the attention in the room to him. Zexion looked different and it took Roxas a few moments to figure out why. At last, he realized that Zexion had braided his hair in a long, single plait that hung down his back.

As with Demyx, Zexion was escorted over to the food line where he was given a tray of food and then set free. He brought his tray over to where Roxas and Demyx were and sat between them. Demyx stared at Zexion wordlessly.

"What? What's wrong?" Zexion asked anxiously.

"Nothing," Demyx answered with a smile. "You're just really pretty with your hair braided like that."

Zexion blushed. Roxas studied his friend carefully. He could see where Demyx was coming from; Zexion was quite pretty with his hair braided like that.

Roxas realized with a jolt that he had never truly seen Zexion's face before; it had always been hidden by his long hair. Zexion had a very thin, angular face, but there was something striking about his facial features, something delicate and almost sensual.

"Roxas?" Zexion questioned, catching Roxas's stare.

Roxas blushed at being caught staring. "Sorry. It's just that I've realized that I've never really seen your face before—it's always been hidden by your hair. You really do have a pretty face."

Zexion ducked his head, his face flooding with color. It was good to have Demyx back, Roxas reflected, watching Zexion and Demyx chatting happily. But he was sure that something had changed between them. He didn't know what had changed or why he knew, but he was certain that they were acting different around each other. Exactly what had happened between the two of them was something that Roxas would probably never know.

Author's Notes: I was *dying* to write another Zexion/Demyx scene and I managed to work the shower scene back in, albeit edited in order to fit it into the storyline since Zexion and Demyx were fighting and needed to make up. It was *really* fun to write. ^^ And just so everyone is aware, Zexion has long hair in this story. Just because I want him to. :P I apologize if there are any errors.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

A month slipped by barely noticed. The only trace of the passing time was Roxas's belly. He was no longer able to conceal the fact that he was pregnant. His clothes were beginning to tighten and soon, he would start wearing maternity clothes.

One afternoon, Mr. Lexaeus had presented Roxas with a book of baby names so he could start to think about what he wanted to name his children.

He had other things to worry about, though; Zexion had started getting sick and only seemed to be getting worse. He was tired, moody, nauseous, and vomited frequently. Then, his heat did not come and the three friends became even more worried.

Zexion paced around the Bearers' dormitory during dinner, Demyx and Roxas watching him pace from Roxas's bed. They were skipping the evening meal so they could talk without being overheard.

"I'm pregnant. I have to be," Zexion said, shaking his head. "Unless this all a sick joke or something."

He paced even more. Roxas watched his movements, becoming more and more upset with every round Zexion made.

"Zex, it's gonna be all right," Demyx said soothingly. "You'll see. Your heat is gonna come any day now and everything will be fine."

"You don't know for sure," Zexion said desperately.

"Zex, sit down. Please. You're making Roxas cry." Demyx gestured to Roxas, who was fighting back tears, clearly upset because his friend was upset.

Zexion stopped pacing at once and went to sit next to Roxas.

"Roxas, sweetie, please don't cry," he murmured, wrapping his arm around his friend.

"I don't like seeing you like this," Roxas said, sniffling softly. "I don't like seeing you upset."

"I know," Zexion said. "Demyx is right. Everything is going to be all right."

"You should go to see Dr. Vexen tomorrow," Roxas murmured. "If you are…pregnant, you'll want to know sooner rather than later." Zexion hesitated. "Please, Zexion. Remember what happened with me? I didn't go to see Dr. Vexen when I started getting sick and I let it go until it go to the point where I collapsed, which put not only my life in danger, but the lives of my twins in danger too. If you are carrying a child, you can't put it in danger."

At last, Zexion nodded. "You're right." He swallowed hard. "I'll go see Dr. Vexen tomorrow. Will you come with me to the medical facility?"

"Of course," Roxas answered at once.

Zexion turned to Demyx anxiously. "Will you come too?"

"Yeah, of course," Demyx answered. "I'll be there."

The following morning, after breakfast had ended, Zexion, Demyx, and Roxas headed for the medical facility. They were escorted by a pair of guards who never said a word as they walked.

Demyx and Roxas politely waited in the waiting room while Dr. Vexen examined Zexion in private. An hour passed in silence. Roxas looked over at Demyx and was surprised to see that he was positively pale. Roxas reached over and put his hand on top of Demyx's. When Demyx turned, Roxas was surprised to see that he had tears in his eyes.

"Demyx?" Roxas asked anxiously. "What's wrong?"

"I…oh god." Demyx made a soft choking sound. "Oh god. What have I done?"

"What?" Roxas asked. "What have you done? I don't understand."

Demyx took a shaky breath. "If Zexion is pregnant, then I'm the father."

Roxas's eyes widened. "You...what?"

"Zexion and I have been having sex," Demyx said, trying to control the shaking in his voice. "It started two months ago, the day you had your ultrasound. Zexion…he was upset and I comforted him. We ended up having sex."

"That is why you and Zexion were fighting," Roxas whispered.

Demyx nodded miserably. "We made up and had sex again a couple days later."

"Oh Demyx," Roxas whispered. "What are you gonna do? If Director Xemnas finds out, he'll be so angry! You could be killed! Both of you!"

Demyx's head snapped up at Roxas's words and he stared at him. The blonde's young face was anxious, not at all disgusted that he and Zexion had betrayed their mates.

"Wha…?" Demyx managed to get out.

Roxas smiled. "I'm here for you." He gently squeezed Demyx's hand. "You and Zexion are my brothers. I would never turn against you for any reason. Riku loves you because it's his duty, but you love Zexion because you can."

"Thank you, Roxas," Demyx breathed.

He couldn't express how much it meant to him to know that Roxas was on their side. Roxas seemed to understand, though, because he gave Demyx a tight hug.

Roxas did not know how much time had passed when the door next to the receptionist's desk opened and Zexion came out, a dazed expression on his face. Roxas and Demyx rose as he walked over to them.

"Zexion?" Demyx asked, his pulse increasing.

Zexion's eyes filled with tears. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh god," Demyx whispered, sinking back into his chair.

"What are we gonna do?" Zexion whimpered.

"Isn't it obvious?" Roxas asked quietly. "You tell Saïx that you're pregnant and hopefully he won't question it."

Zexion looked at him, shocked. "Roxas…?"

"I know," Roxas said. "Demyx told me what happened between the two of you."

"He told you?" Zexion looked alarmed.

"Come on, we need to go somewhere more private to talk," Roxas said in a low voice.

They left the medical facility and found an empty classroom where they could talk. Zexion and Demyx sat on top of the desks while Roxas sat sideways in a third desk.

"Yes, Demyx told me what happened," Roxas said once they were all comfortable. "But I'm not going to say anything to anyone. You and Demyx are my brothers. I would never betray you."

"Oh Roxas," Zexion whispered, his eyes filling with tears.

"So what are you going to do?" Roxas asked.

"I liked your idea, Roxas to tell Saïx and hope he doesn't question it," Demyx answered. "It seems like the only thing we can do."

"The real question is will Saïx question it or will he just accept it," Roxas said. Both he and Demyx looked to Zexion for the answer.

"It's difficult to say," Zexion replied, looking troubled.

"Either way, he has to be told. Whether or not he believes you will be left up to chance," Demyx said softly.

"You're right." Zexion swallowed hard. "I have to tell him."

"Do you want us to go with you?" Roxas asked.

Zexion nodded. "I don't think I can do this alone."

The three friends left the classroom followed by the guards who had been stationed outside while they talked. They soon realized, however, the timing was wrong and had to wait until after the afternoon lessons had ended before they went to the Breeders' dormitory.

Zexion took a deep breath as he entered. The key was for him to stay calm or else he would give his secret away and he couldn't afford to do that. He was so glad that Roxas and Demyx were with him. He knew he couldn't do it alone. Demyx took his hand and gave it a quick reassuring squeeze and Roxas gently touched his wrist.

They were greeted by a scowling boy with black hair and pale green eyes.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Jesse, be nice," Sora scolded lightly, stepping forward. He turned to the three Bearers. "This is quite a surprise. What are you doing here?"

"I need to speak with my mate," Zexion struggled to keep his voice level. "It's important."

Sora nodded. "I'll go find him."

He vanished. The Bearers' visit to the Breeders' dormitory did not go unnoticed and soon, everyone in the dormitory stared at them, especially at Roxas. At last, Saïx stepped forward with Sora in tow.

"Zexion? What's wrong?" Saïx asked, frowning.

"Hi, Saïx," Zexion said. "I…need to speak with you."

"Well, okay," Saïx said, unimpressed. "I'm here now, so speak."

Zexion let out a long breath and looked up at his mate. "I wanted to tell you…I'm pregnant."

"O…oh." Saïx blinked.

Zexion thought he saw something reflected in Saïx's expression. Disappointment, perhaps? It was hard to tell because Saïx's expression became unreadable once again. Sora's face, on the other hand, lit up when he heard.

"Really?" he asked excitedly. "You're pregnant too? That's awesome! When are you due?"

Zexion smiled. "I'm not due until July." He looked to Saïx, who stared back at him levelly. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Well, you wanted a child, didn't you?" Saïx asked.

"Yeah," Zexion answered. "More than anything."

"So we have a child. Yay." Saïx's tone was unenthusiastic.

Zexion bit his lip, hurt. Demyx growled under his breath. Then things went from bad to worse as a familiar redhead pushed his way through the crowd, another familiar figure beside him, as always. Axel's gaze immediately focused on Roxas.

"What. The. Hell?" he growled out.

"I came with Zexion. He had something to share with his mate," Roxas said calmly.

"Really?" Axel asked. "What news?"

"Zexion is going to have a baby," Roxas asked.

Axel looked surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded.

Axel's cold gaze landed on Zexion. Zexion shifted uncomfortably. He could almost see the gears turning in Axel's head as he mulled over this piece of information. That gaze…it was so unreadable, yet Zexion could see the dawning comprehension there. He knows! Zexion thought desperately. Oh god, Axel knows! He knows that the child isn't Saïx's! If he tells Saïx, I'm dead! Demyx and I are both dead!

Several long seconds passed, but nothing happened. Axel remained silent. Zexion couldn't believe it; this was not what he was expecting. He was fully expecting Axel to expose him for the cheater he was, but it never happened. Confusion replaced Zexion's panic and that confusion remained with him for the rest of the day. Why hadn't Axel told? What did he gain from hiding the truth? Was it possible, however unlikely, that Axel himself was hiding something. If so, what was it? What could Axel possibly have to hide?

Author's Notes: What, indeed? Axel has his reasons for not telling, but I'm not telling what they are. :P It's a short chapter, I know. The next one will be much much longer, I can promise you that right now. And I totally almost forgot that today was an update day. -_-


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Zexion woke to the sound of crying. He lay in his bunk for a few moments, staring at the bottom of the bunk above him, trying to shake the feeling of sleep off. Several months had passed without incident with Roxas nearing the end of his pregnancy and Zexion going through the first months of his.

Once Zexion was sure he was sufficiently coherent, he got up, making sure he didn't hit his head in the process. The crying came from Roxas, who was shifting restlessly in bed.

"Roxas? Roxas, honey, what's wrong?" Zexion asked, bending over his friend's figure. Roxas gave a low moan. "What's wrong?"

"It hurts," Roxas moaned.

"What hurts?" Zexion asked.

Roxas could not answer, but moved his hand to his rounded belly. Zexion's eyes widened; he knew what it was implying.

"I'll be right back, okay?" he asked.

"Okay," Roxas said, biting back a groan.

Zexion hastened across the dormitory to where Demyx was asleep, snoring loudly.

"Demyx," Zexion whispered, giving the brown-haired boy a gentle shake. "Wake up." Demyx didn't respond. "Damn it, you idiot, wake up!" Zexion's voice rose in anger. He shook Demyx as hard as he could. "DEMYX YOU DAMN IDIOT! WAKE UP YOU ASSHOLE!" He hit Demyx as hard as he could.

Demyx jerked awake. He hit his head hard on the bunk above him and swore loudly.

"Oww! Goddamn it! Sonofabitch!" he yelled, holding his head.

"Idiot." Zexion rolled his eyes.

Demyx glared at him. "What's the big idea, Zex? Waking me up when I was having such a nice dream…"

"I think Roxas is in labor," Zexion hastily cut him of.

"What?" Demyx asked, his eyes widening.

"Roxas's in labor," Zexion repeated.

"Fuck," Demyx muttered. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure," Zexion replied, throwing a hasty glance at Roxas. He was amazed at how calm his voice sounded; inside, he was panicking. "We have to get him to the medical facility. I don't think he's going to be able to walk there by himself and I can't carry him alone. I need your help."

Demyx nodded and got up. He went to reach for his clothes, but Zexion stopped him.

"There's no time," Zexion said firmly.

Demyx dropped his clothes and followed Zexion over to Roxas's bunk. They could hear Roxas crying softly.

"Roxas?" Zexion asked.

"Yeah?" Roxas's voice was slightly muffled.

"Demyx and I are going to take you to the medical facility," Zexion said.

"I don't think I can move. It hurts so much!" Roxas gave a choked sob.

"I know," Zexion said soothingly. "I know it hurts, but we have to get to the medical facility."

"Okay." Roxas sniffed softly.

There was a soft rustling sound and after several long minutes, Roxas finally got up. Zexion sucked in his breath. Roxas's face was contorted in pain and tears streaked down his cheeks.

"What's going on here?" a voice demanded.

Zexion and Demyx turned to see Zack and another guard hurrying across the dormitory.

"Roxas is in labor," Zexion answered.

Zack's eyes widened. "What?" he looked at Roxas sitting on the edge of his bunk, breathing heavily. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me." He shook his head. "All right. Vance, alert the medical facility. Tell them that we have Bearer in labor and we're gonna need a wheelchair as soon as possible."

The guard nodded and pulled out a small radio and started talking into it. Zack sat on the bunk next to Roxas.

"Hey. How you doing?" he asked. Roxas groaned softly. "I know. It must hurt like hell and you must be terrified. Believe me, I know. I've seen this before." Roxas gave him a funny look. "What? It's not like you're the first Bearer who's had a baby here. I've been here over a decade so I've seen quite a few babies born."

"Really? Roxas asked.

"Yup." Zack nodded. "All the guards here are well-trained and won't let anything happen to you. You don't have anything to fear. So what I want you to do is relax and take a couple deep breaths. Can you do that for me?"

Roxas nodded and started taking deep breaths. Zack offered the blonde his hand and Roxas took it, gently squeezing it when he was overcome with the pain from his contractions.

At last, two men from the medical facility arrived bearing a wheelchair. With some help from Zack, they managed to get Roxas seated in the wheelchair.

"Wait," Roxas said as the men started to wheel him out. "What about Axel?"

"I'll go get him right now," Zack said soothingly. "He'll meet you at the medical facility."

Roxas nodded and allowed the men from the medical facility to wheel him out.

"Will he be all right?" Zexion asked anxiously as he watched his friend vanish.

"Yeah," Zack answered, though the smile he wore didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Why do you look so worried then?" Demyx demanded.

Zack nervously cleared his throat. "I'd better go and get Axel. I don't want him to miss the birth of his children after all."

He hastened from the Bearers' dormitory. Once he was outside, he stopped for a second to compose himself. He had to be more careful. Both Roxas's friends were very perceptive and it wouldn't do for them to guess the truth. Zack had witnessed the birth of many babies, but at the same time, had watched all the Bearers giving birth die from complications. In all his years at The Institute, Zack had known only one Bearer who had survived giving birth. Shaking his head, Zack hurried off to wake Axel.

Axel blinked, confused.

"What is it?" he asked groggily.

"You need to get up," a soft voice answered. "Roxas's in labor." Axel groaned softly. "You're not getting out of this, I'm afraid. I've been given permission to use force if you refuse to cooperate. And so help me god, I will. Now get your ass out of bed." Biting back another groan, Axel forced himself out of bed. "Good boy. You have five minutes to get dressed."

Axel glared at the speaker, a young guard with dark hair cropped incredibly short, but the guard wasn't intimidated. They stared at each other for several minutes, neither of them giving in. Axel studied his rival carefully. There was something…different about this guard, though Axel couldn't quite say what set him apart from the rest of the guards who had always been faceless to Axel.

Axel finally turned away and grabbed his clothes. He dressed in haste, not caring that he shed his clothes while another was walking. He had lost all shreds of his dignity years ago. Swallowing hard, Axel banished the thought from his mind and turned. The young guard had politely turned his gaze away so Axel could dress privately. For some reason, it made Axel uncomfortable.

Axel cleared his throat to get the guard's attention. "I'm ready to go."

"All right then," the guard said.

They left the Breeders' dormitory and silently traveled down the hallways.

"Not that I really care or anything," Axel said, "But what is your name?"

The guard smiled. "My name is Zack."

"Zack?" Axel frowned. "That's a weird name."

"Maybe." Zack shrugged. "But I kind of like it. Here we are." He held open the door to the medical facility for Axel. "Zack here, bringing Axel to his mate, who is in labor."

"Room Six," the receptionist said in a bored tone.

Zack nodded and turned to Axel. "Come."

Axel scowled, but followed Zack through the door next to the receptionist's desk. Zack looked around before moving down the hallway a little way. At last, he found Room Six and pushed the door open without knocking.

Axel wasn't sure what to expect when he stepped into the room, but he certainly wasn't expecting things to be so calm. Roxas sat up in bed, propped up by several large pillows. He had been dressed in a plain Vexen cotton gown, an IV stuck into his arm. When he saw Zack, he smiled weakly.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Zack said, returning the smile. "I brought you someone."

He stepped out of the way and revealed Axel. Roxas's lips tightened slightly, but he nodded.

Zack gently nudged Axel. "Go to him."

Axel growled softly, but moved to his mate's side. There was a chair next to the bed that Axel sat in. He hadn't been this close to his mate in a while. He looked much paler and thinner now.

Roxas suddenly closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, moaning softly. One of the monitors Roxas was hooked up to started beeping erratically. Roxas took several deep breaths and tightly gripped the sheets. Axel was startled to see that Roxas's face was etched with pain; Roxas was usually so strong, so stoic, and hid his pain well.

At last, Roxas relaxed, the monitor's beeping returning to normal. He opened his eyes and glanced at Axel.

"You okay?" Axel asked quietly.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. He smiled bitterly. "Didn't know you really cared."

Axel shrugged. "It looked like it hurt."

"Yeah, a lot," Roxas replied.

They were silent for a while. Then, Roxas gave a low groan. His breathing quickened and he squeezed his eyes shut. Axel could only watch as Roxas was overcome with pain. At last, the contraction ended and Roxas was able to relax again. Then, they were silent once more.

Axel did not know how much time had passed when Dr. Vexen came in.

"Ah, you're here Axel," he said, spotting Axel sitting in the chair next to Roxas's bed. "Good. Now let's see how you're doing, Roxas."

He moved to Roxas's feet and lifted the blanket that covered Roxas's lower body, then pulled on a pair of gloves. Axel didn't know what the doctor was doing due to the blanket obscuring his view, but by the way Roxas squirmed uncomfortably, he could guess what was going on. For some reason, it made Axel angry to know that Dr. Vexen was touching him like that, doctor or no.

At last, Dr. Vexen withdrew and peeled off his rubber gloves. "You're looking good, Roxas. You're progressing beautifully. Just a while longer and you'll have your twins."

"Great," Roxas bit out. "I'm sick of this shit."

Dr. Vexen chuckled softly. "Well, you won't have to wait very long. I'll be back in a little while to check on you again."

He left. Axel passed the time by napping, though he never fully slept. Dr. Vexen came in several times to check on Roxas's progress.

At last, he said, "Well, Roxas, I think you're ready to push now."

He peeled off his gloves and left for a moment. Equipment was brought in and Roxas was helped into a better position.

"Axel, stay where you are," Dr. Vexen ordered, pulling on a fresh pair of gloves.

Panting, Roxas heaved himself up and, on Dr. Vexen's orders, started pushing. Axel only half listened to Dr. Vexen counting, focusing on Roxas, watching as his face twisted in pain.

When Dr. Vexen reached ten, he ordered Roxas to stop, and the blonde sank back against the pillows, breathing heavily. He rested for a few moments, then started the process all over again. The minutes dragged by.

"Come on, Roxas," Dr. Vexen encouraged. "You can do it. You're almost there. Come on, push."

Roxas gave a choked sob. Axel could see the tears forming in Roxas's eyes and a few moments later, they streaked down his cheeks. And all Axel could do was sit there and watch. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He didn't know how to be a father. His father had never been a father to him. He scarcely even remembered his father anymore; he had left his family when he was only six years old and had never seen them again.

_Axel didn't like how the man and his father were quietly talking in the corner, like they were planning something. Finally, they left their corner and approached Axel and his mother. _

"_Pack your things," his father snapped. "You're going with Ryan."_

"_Why father?" Axel asked, startled. _

"_Don't ask questions. Just do it!" his father snapped. _

"_Y…yes father," Axel stammered. _

_He hurried into his small, plain bedroom and grabbed a bag from the closet. He threw some clothes in and zipped it up. When he had finished, he went back out to the living room. _

"_Let's go," Ryan ordered._

"_Okay," Axel said. "Bye father." His father ignored him. "Bye mother."_

"_Goodbye, Axel," his mother said sadly._

He didn't understand then that his father had sold him to Ryan, treating him not as a person, but as a thing, a piece of property that could be sold if the price was high enough. That was always how he had been treated, for as long as he could remember.

He had never been a person, not even at The Institute. Here, he had been seen as just another Breeder, not an individual. Sure, they called him by name, but they never treated him as anything more than a Breeder, good only for trying to create Bearers.

A scream jerked Axel out of his thoughts. He was startled to discover that it originated from his mate. He had never seen Roxas so out of control before. Roxas sank back against his pillows with a quiet moan, eyes falling closed. The room was filled with the sound of a baby crying. Axel's breath caught in his throat.

"It's a beautiful, healthy baby boy," Dr. Vexen announced. "What's his name?"

"I…" Axel hesitated. "I don't know." He turned to his mate. "Roxas! Roxas!"

"What?" Roxas asked with a low groan, not opening his eyes.

"Dr. Vexen wants to know what our son's name is," Axel answered.

"His name is…Colin Matthew," Roxas said.

"All right," Axel replied, his throat tightening. He relayed the information to Dr. Vexen, who nodded.

"How…how is he?" Roxas asked at a whisper, finally opening his eyes.

"He seems fine," Axel answered with a shrug. "At least his lungs seem to be working properly."

As if to prove his point, the baby gave a loud wail.

"Can I…can I hold him?" Roxas asked.

"Not right now," Dr. Vexen answered, walking over to them.

"Why not?" Roxas whispered, looking hurt.

"You still have another child to deliver," Dr. Vexen reminded him.

"Oh god," Roxas groaned, resting his head against his pillows.

"I'm going to do an ultrasound to see where the second baby is. If we're lucky, he'll shift into the correct position with his head down so the delivery will be simple," Dr. Vexen said.

"And what if he doesn't?" Roxas asked anxiously.

"I'll do a C-section," Dr. Vexen answered.

"Oh god," Roxas whispered.

"Don't worry," Dr. Vexen said. "That's only a last resort. First, we need to do the ultrasound. I'll be right back."

He left. Roxas leaned back and closed his eyes. He didn't say anything, but Axel could tell that he was terrified. Then, Roxas opened his eyes. Tears slid down his cheeks. With a shaking hand, he wiped them away.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm just really scared."

"You don't have to apologize," Axel said, shaking his head. "I don't blame you for being scared." He hesitated for a moment, hating himself a little for what he was about to say. "I…think you…are very strong for putting up with all this."

Roxas stared at him. "Really?"

"Yeah." Axel nodded. Roxas looked at him skeptically. "I'm telling the truth. You can either believe me or not. I don't really care either way."

They fell silent again, until Dr. Vexen returned, pushing a small ultrasound machine with him. He pulled on a pair of rubber gloves and started the ultrasound. He was silent for a while, frowning as he studied the machine.

At last, he said, "Well, it looks like your son has decided to cooperate with us today. I won't have to do a C-section."

"Oh thank god," Roxas whispered.

Axel let out the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. He frowned. Since when did he care about what happened to Roxas? Why should he care? It wasn't like he had asked for this to happen. He had never wanted to come to The Institute and be a Breeder. He was never given the choice.

But Roxas hadn't been given the choice either.

He had been born a Bearer, so his fate had been sealed the instant he had been born. He had no choice but to accept that he had to go to The Institute and fulfill his duties as one of the last Bearers. Bearers were born, not made, like the Breeders. They had absolutely no freedom.

Most of the Breeders had been given the choice to come to The Institute and become Breeders. Only a few, like Axel, hadn't been given the choice. But none of the Bearers had been given the choice. It was like they didn't even care about the fact that the Bearers weren't given any say, that their opinion didn't matter.

Axel frowned even deeper. It didn't make any sense. Why weren't the voices of the Bearers heard? They were the last of their kind, so shouldn't they be treated better than they were? Again, Axel wasn't sure why he even cared.

Then, a thought occurred to him, a dangerous, even frightening thought. He cared because Roxas was his mate and deep down, no matter how hard he tried to deny it, there was a part of him that didn't like seeing his mate hurt. He knew that something had changed between them, though he couldn't fully explain why or how he knew. Then, a realization came to him, though it terrified him so. He no longer hated Roxas as he had when they had first been mated. He had been so determined to hate Roxas from the beginning, but as the months gradually wore on and they had gotten to know each other a little better, albeit from a distance, Axel had found it harder and harder to hate Roxas. As much as he hated to admit it, there was nothing for him to hate. Now, the hate had been replaced by something else. Axel shook his head. This couldn't be happening. He wouldn't let it happen.

He refused to fall in love with Roxas.

"Axel?" a quiet voice forced him out of his thoughts.

Roxas was looking at him, his beautiful blue eyes filled with concern. It made it even harder for Axel to think; he got lost staring into those blue eyes.

"Axel!" Roxas called. Axel jumped in his seat. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Axel answered through gritted teeth. "I'm gonna go for a quick walk."

"Are you allowed to do that?" Roxas asked.

Both of them turned to Zack, forgotten until this moment. He had remained in the corner almost invisible and had watched the entire time completely expressionless.

"It's fine," he said, stepping forward. "As long as I go with him and he doesn't wander too far, there's no problem."

Axel rose and stretched out his limbs, cramped from sitting in the uncomfortable chair for so long. It felt so good to get up and stretch his legs. As requested, he didn't wander too far from Roxas's room. Zack walked several steps behind him, allowing him to think in peace.

Zack watched Axel walk, trying hard to keep his face impassive. It was difficult for him to do, and he was glad Axel couldn't see him. The past couple hours had been some of the hardest hours had ever had to go through in his life.

He had not expected to be the one assigned to Axel after he had told him that his mate was in labor. Once the initial shock of being assigned to the one task he dreaded doing had worn off, he had forced himself into a calmness that would help him get through what he knew was coming. Oh yes, he knew exactly what to expect. After all, this was not his first time escorting a Breeder to the medical facility for the birth of their mate's child.

It didn't get any easier, that was for sure. In fact, it only seemed to get harder as Zack watched Bearer after Bearer die from complications of giving birth. He knew it was wrong, that so many Bearers died in childbirth. The Institute was a state-of-the-art facility with all the latest technology and advanced medical practices, yet the survival rate of Bearers past the age of twenty was less than one percent.

Not all the Bearers at The Institute gave birth; in fact, most of them were barren, yet they continued to die from mysterious illnesses. It was fishy, but there was nothing Zack could do about it. All he could do was watch as the Bearers died out.

He had barely been able to watch as Roxas suffered through his labor to deliver the first of his twins. All he could do was watch, knowing that Roxas's chances of survival were slim. Arlen had somehow managed to survive giving birth to Roxas and remained the only Bearer to do so, but the chances of Roxas surviving were still very slim. He had come to care about Arlen's son; even though Roxas wasn't his biological son, he still sort of felt like Zack's son.

Roxas had been lucky so far; he had survived the birth of his first child, but he still had another child to deliver, and Zack felt sure that Roxas couldn't survive giving birth again, especially so soon after the first birth.

Zack's radio suddenly squawked, bringing Zack out of his deep thoughts.

"Yeah?" he asked into it.

There was a pause and then Vance said, "Vance to Zack. Do you copy?"

"Yeah, I copy," Zack responded. "What's up?"

"You need to report back to the med fac pronto," Vance said.

Zack frowned. "Why? What's wrong?"

"It's Roxas. There's been some…complications," Vance said.

Zack felt himself go cold. "Complications? What complications?"

"I don't know," Vance said uncertainly. "But you and Axel have gotta get back to the med fac pronto. You copy?"

"I copy," Zack said. "We're on our way. Zack out."

He hastily stowed his radio in his jacket. Axel had stopped walking and stared at him, frowning.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"We have to go back to the medical facility. Now," Zack answered sharply.

"What? Why?" Axel asked, bewildered.

"It's Roxas," Zack answered fearfully. "He's dying."

"W…what?" Axel stammered.

"He's dying," Zack repeated. "Look, I can explain on the way. But we have to move. Now!"

Axel nodded. He and Zack started jogging back toward the medical facility.

"There's a lot for you to know and not nearly enough time to explain," Zack said between pants. "But the bottom line is that no Bearer has survived giving birth."

This seemed to catch Axel off-guard. "What? Why?"

"I don't know," Zack answered. "One minute they're fine and the next, they're not."

"But how is that possible?" Axel asked, frowning. "Isn't The Institute supposed to be the most technologically advanced facility or something?"

"Exactly," Zack said. "It doesn't make any sense." He suddenly stopped running, causing Axel to nearly run into him. "Look, I've been here over a decade. Bearers are dying like you wouldn't believe. Either they die in childbirth or they get sick and die. Dr. Vexen claims he has no idea why."

"You think he's lying," Axel breathed.

"I don't know." Zack shook his head. "But the point is that all the Bearers die before the age of twenty. Well…" he hesitated momentarily. "Almost all the Bearers." Axel stared at him. "There is one Bearer who has survived. Roxas's father, Arlen."

Axel was still for a few moments and Zack could see him trying to process all this information. He hesitatingly stepped forward and touched Axel on the wrist. Axel looked at him, surprised, but didn't jerk away from the guard's touch.

"Come on," Zack said softly. "I know you don't really like your mate, but you'll want to be there at…at the end." The words caught in his throat.

Axel nodded. He had the look of someone who didn't quite know what to say or do. Zack could see the conflict in his eyes, though he hid it quite well. Zack prided himself in being able to read people, though some, like Axel, were harder to read than others. Axel wanted to not care about his mate at all and yet something was drawing him to Roxas, something he couldn't explain. And it frightened him.

"Axel…" Zack said gently.

Axel looked at him, confusing clouding his eyes. He had never seen Axel look so vulnerable before. It scared Zack to see someone as cold and emotionless as Axel had been to look so lost and vulnerable.

At last, Axel moved, walking back toward the medical facility. Zack was surprised that Axel knew where to go, but didn't question it. He allowed Axel to lead, allowed him to have this small amount of control over his life.

When they arrived back at Room Six, they found absolute chaos. Nurses were running around doing various tasks and Dr. Vexen was shouting orders. All semblance of order seemed to have vanished in the short time that Axel and Zack had been away.

Zack immediately stepped forward. "Dr. Vexen, where do you want us?" Dr. Vexen didn't answer. "Dr. Vexen!" At last, Dr. Vexen looked at the young guard, startled. "Where do you want us?"

"Oh." Dr. Vexen bit his lip and frowned. "Uh, just stand somewhere out of the way."

"And what about Axel?" Zack asked.

"Just keep him out of the way!" Dr. Vexen snapped, clearly distracted.

"Understood." Zack turned to Axel. "We can stand over here."

Axel nodded and followed Zack to one of the room's corners. His gaze immediately turned to the bed, where Roxas lay. He looked even worse than he did before, pale and ill. A plastic breathing mask had been placed over his nose and mouth and the inside was filled with condensation as Roxas struggled to breathe. He was hooked up to several more machines that only added to the confusion.

"Come on, Roxas, you need to push!" Dr. Vexen shouted.

"I can't!" The rest of Roxas's words were lost in a torrent of sobs.

"Come on, you're almost there! Just one more push!" Dr. Vexen said.

Axel watched with fascinated horror as a small body covered in blood fell into Dr. Vexen's hands. He could tell there was something wrong. The baby wasn't crying. Why wasn't it crying? Then, one of the machines let off a shrill cry.

"Doctor, Roxas's vitals are rapidly dropping," a nurse said.

Roxas looked up at Axel, blue eyes filled with exhaustion. Then, his eyes slid closed.

"Roxas!" Axel gasped.

Beep.

Beep.

"We're losing him!" A nurse shouted.

Beep.

Beep.

"Roxas, no!" Axel cried.

Beep.

Beeeeeeeeep.

"ROXAS!"

"Get me a crash cart, now!" Dr. Vexen roared.

One of the nurses sprinted out of the room.

"Roxas!" Axel called.

He couldn't breathe. Roxas was…he was…

Axel felt a sharp pain in his chest. Why did it hurt so much? He should have been glad that Roxas was gone…now there was nothing to tie him to The Institute any longer…but he couldn't feel glad. All he felt was pain. Roxas had been a good person. He didn't deserve to die like this. He was still a child! What was he feeling? Sadness? Grief? Why was he sad that Roxas was dead? He didn't understand. A torrent of emotions now ran through him, emotions he had never felt before.

He couldn't process anything that was going on around him; all he could do was stare at Roxas lying there, Roxas not breathing, Roxas not living. This wasn't what I wanted, his mind screamed at him. I never wanted Roxas to die!

He couldn't breathe. Oh god, he couldn't breathe. His lungs felt like they were on fire, every breath he took scorched him.

Then, without any warning, he heard something.

Beep.

He let out a breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding.

Beep.

"I have a rhythm, doctor," a nurse said.

Beep.

"Roxas?" Dr. Vexen asked. "Roxas, can you hear me?"

Beep.

From the bed, Roxas let out a low moan. Impossibly blue eyes opened and immediately locked onto Axel. Axel felt his breath leave him. Then, he did something he would later deny ever doing.

He fainted.

Author's Notes: Good Lord, this was a massive chapter. It took forever and a half to write. But the plot is moving along nicely. It was kind of fun to write, too. Especially since I know all the answers to what's really going on here. Oh, and because it wasn't mentioned and probably won't ever be mentioned, Roxas and Axel's second son is named Connor Gavin.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Zack waited outside Cloud's apartment, shifting restlessly on his feet. After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally opened. Cloud's expression immediately became anxious when he saw Zack standing there.

"Well?" he asked.

"He's alive," Zack answered, grinning widely.

"He's alive?" Cloud asked. "He's alive! Oh thank god, he's alive!"

He threw himself at Zack, sobbing. Zack gingerly wrapped his arms around him and patted him on the back.

"It's all right," he said soothingly. "It's okay."

"I'm just so glad," Cloud sobbed, nine months of anxiety melting away in an instant.

"I know," Zack said. "I know. I'm glad too." He gently rubbed Cloud's back, trying to soothe him.

At last, Cloud was able to stop crying. "How is he?"

"Exhausted," Zack answered. "Giving birth nearly killed him. But he should be okay with some rest."

"And the twins?" Cloud asked.

"Fine," Zack answered. "They've been given to a foster family to be raised."

"How'd Axel take it?" Cloud asked. Zack couldn't conceal his grin. "What? What happened?"

"He fainted," Zack answered, still grinning.

"You're kidding me." Cloud shook his head in disbelief.

"Nope," Zack said. "He was fine for the most part, but near the end, he seemed to be completely overwhelmed and passed out."

"Will he be all right? Cloud asked.

"Oh yeah," Zack answered. "He came around after a couple minutes. Dr. Vexen had a quick look at him and said he was fine."

"What about you?" Cloud asked.

"Off-duty until tomorrow afternoon," Zack answered.

"Will you stay?" Cloud whispered.

"Mmm, if you want." Zack brought their lips together.

"Yes," Cloud breathed.

Zack grinned. "Then I'll stay."

He allowed Cloud to lead him inside, throwing a quick glance around the hallway to make sure no one was watching. Once he was inside, Cloud gently closed the door behind him, then locked it for good measure.

They stood a couple feet apart, staring at each other, remained that way for a very long time. Then, at last, they came together. Zack could feel Cloud trembling badly and frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked, pulling away.

Cloud shook his head and for a long time, didn't speak. At last, he managed to whisper, "Everything."

"What do you mean?" Zack asked, though he had a feeling he already knew the answer.

"Just…everything. My whole life is screwed up. First I lost Christian, then Reno, and today, I almost lost my son. What the hell is wrong with my life that all the people I love die? And there's nothing I can do to stop it! I couldn't stop Christian and I couldn't stop Reno either."

"Hey," Zack said sharply, cutting him off. "That wasn't your fault."

"But…" Cloud protested.

"No matter what you might think, no matter what people might tell you, it's not your fault they decided to end their lives."

"But Reno said…" Cloud began.

"I know what he said!" Zack cut him off once again. "I was there when you found him. I read the note just like you did. But you mustn't blame yourself."

"But it's my fault he got dragged into all this. I drove him to suicide!" Cloud cried.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no," Zack said in a hushed voice, pulling Cloud close to him once more. "He never once blamed you for what happened."

"How do you know?" Cloud choked back a sob.

"I…" Zack hesitated.

He knew he couldn't tell Cloud the truth. It was for his own safety that Cloud was being kept in the dark. But he knew that Cloud would never forgive him and that hurt him more than anything.

"Zack?" Cloud asked.

Zack blinked. "Sorry. Just zoned out there for a moment."

"You were thinking about Reno?" Cloud asked quietly.

"Yeah," Zack answered.

"It's okay." Cloud smiled sadly. "I think about him all the time. Not a day goes by where I don't miss him."

"I know." Again, Zack was overwhelmed with guilt and had to force it back down. "I miss him too. It was hard to get used to having him around, but now that he's gone, it's hard to imagine life without him."

"Yeah," Cloud agreed. "That's how Reno was."

He sighed and rested his head on Zack's shoulder. Zack simply held him, silently wishing they could be locked in this embrace forever.

"Roxas?" a quiet voice asked.

Roxas slowly opened his eyes. All he could see was a tangle of blurred images. He blinked and the images came into sharp focus. His pulse quickened when he saw who was sitting next to his bed.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded of his mate.

Axel shifted uncomfortably in his seat, blue eyes troubled. "I wanted to make sure you were all right."

"You wanted to make sure I was all right or you were forced to make sure I was all right?" Roxas asked shrewdly.

"I wanted to," Axel answered. "Nobody forced me to do anything."

"But why?" Roxas asked. "I thought you didn't care." He looked at Axel, who shifted uncomfortably again. "You _do_ care?"

"I…" Axel exhaled softly. "I don't know." He shook his head. "Look, you went through a lot today. You almost died. I just…I couldn't bring myself to leave without knowing you were okay. I don't know why."

Roxas fell silent, staring at his mate. Axel looked so…so confused. Roxas had never seen him like this before and it scared him. Axel had always come off as being a cold, heartless bastard, though Roxas knew better.

He had seen past Axel's cold exterior and knew that deep down, Axel was just scared, scared of being hurt. But he never expected to see Axel's façade actually dropping, however slight, and he never realized just how much of a conflict it would create within Axel.

Neither of them spoke for a long time—neither of them really knew what to say to the other. They just stared at each other, both lost in their thoughts.

Then, Roxas finally found the courage to speak. "Do you know…do you know what happened to the twins? Are they all right? Where are they?"

Axel hesitated. He knew the answer, but he wasn't sure if he wanted Roxas to know. He knew it would hurt Roxas to know, but he had to learn the truth at some point. So why did he hesitate to tell him? Why did he want to keep the hurtful news from his mate?

Axel sighed. "The twins…were given up for adoption by The Institute. Dr. Vexen had them placed in the home of a foster family almost immediately after I finished signing the birth certificates."

Roxas did not respond. He pressed his lips together into a faint frown and Axel could see that he was struggling not to cry.

"O…oh," Roxas finally said. "I didn't know it was going to happen so soon."

"Bastards probably took them away so you wouldn't grow attached to them," Axel muttered before he could stop himself.

"I believe it," Roxas replied. Axel looked at him, startled. "They would, wouldn't they? They'd want to make the transition as easy as possible. If the twins had stayed with me, even for a little while, it would have been even more difficult to part from them. That's their reasoning, or at least what I can come up with. But they're wrong. Even now, it's hard for me because…because…I didn't even get to hold them."

His voice broke and he could barely get out the last sentence. He doubled over, breathing heavily. Axel knew what to do, what the right thing to do was, but he hesitated for a moment, fighting with himself. At last, swallowing hard, he gently placed a hand on Roxas's back. Roxas's head immediately shot up and he stared at Axel in complete shock, but Axel didn't remove his hand. After a few moments, Roxas broke down completely, throwing himself at Axel, sobbing gently.

Axel's posture stiffened slightly, but he did not push Roxas away. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to do so. He allowed Roxas to remain where he was, hanging partly off the bed in Axel's arms. It was an awkward position for both of them, but Axel couldn't bring himself to force Roxas off.

At last, Roxas quieted, though he didn't move. After a few moments, Axel realized that Roxas had fallen asleep, and sighed. The best thing for him to do was just let Roxas sleep, but he didn't think he would be able to stand having Roxas like that for however long the blonde slept. He only had one choice; shift Roxas back into bed and hope he didn't disturb his mate's sleep.

Gritting his teeth, Axel stood slowly, moving Roxas as gently as he could. Several times, Roxas stirred slightly, but didn't wake. Axel moved awkwardly, not really sure what he was doing, until he finally managed to get Roxas laying in his bed. He moved away, then as an afterthought, rose, and pulled Roxas's blanket up, covering all but his head. Then, he sat back and watched his mate sleep.

He knew exactly what was happening. He was starting to care about his mate, something he never dreamed would happen. He had worked so hard over the years to close his heart off to protect himself from being hurt again and now all that hard work was coming undone. Why? All because of one silly little boy. He had somehow managed to find a way to break the wall Axel had put up, no not just break it, he shattered it and caused Axel to care about him.

Because the truth was, Axel really did care about Roxas.

As much as he hated to admit it, Roxas had started growing on him. There was just something about him that made Axel unable to hate him and even sort of like him.

Axel knew he was straying into dangerous territory. It may have seemed innocent, but for him, it was anything but. He knew what happened when he trusted someone, opened his heart to them. It had happened before and it would happen again, he was certain of it.

He shuddered at the memory and tried as hard as he could to push it away. But it was too late. The memories he had tried to repress for so long were starting to resurface.

"_Get up boy!" Ryan shouted, delivering a hard smack to his face. "There's work to be done!"_

Axel shuddered. For years, he had had flashbacks of his childhood and it had taken him so long to try and get them under control. Even now, almost a decade after the fact, he still occasionally had a nightmare or two, but nothing like this, nothing this vivid.

"_Breakfast is there," Ryan pointed to the small, rickety table that served as their dining room table._

Axel rose, trembling. He had to get out of here; the room was stifling, almost a prison, like—

_Axel sat on the floor in the corner. He was being punished again for talking back. He had been beaten until he had nearly passed out, then thrown into this room. It was cold enough to give Axel goosebumps and so dark that he couldn't see his hand even a few inches in front of his face. _

_He lay down on the cold concrete floor, then curled up into a ball to wait his punishment out. He knew he would be given no food or water until his sentence had been served, but that had ceased to bother him long ago. He could tolerate the long periods of being locked in a small, windowless room with no food or water and that was what he would do; endure._

_It was the only thing he could do._

Breathing heavily, Axel leaned against a wall, trying desperately to keep himself upright. He had to keep going, had to make it back to the dormitory. Everything would get better once he got back and lay down. Until then, he had to keep going.

Axel started walking again keeping his hand pressed against the wall to help support himself. He stumbled several times, but always managed to catch himself before he fell. The hallway seemed to swirl in front of him, and he swayed unsteadily. He probably looked like a drunk person walking down that hallway, but at the moment, he didn't really care. It didn't matter what he looked like as long as he made it to his destination without passing out.

The nausea seemed to come from nowhere. He lurched forward and vomited, dropping into a crouch, his hand still pressed up against the wall. He fought the urge to drop to his knees; he knew that if he kneeled down, he wouldn't be able to get back up.

He didn't know how long he was in his crouch, but it seemed like an eternity had gone by before he was finally able to stagger to his feet again.

He continued down the hallway, trying hard to ignore the nausea rising in his throat.

"_Is this the boy you spoke of?" A man whose face was concealed by shadows asked in a deep voice._

"_Yes." Ryan nodded. "This is Axel."_

_The man stepped forward, the light revealing his scarred face. _

"_Hmm, not bad," he murmured, coming even closer. "Not bad at all."_

_Get away from me, you freak!" Axel growled._

_The man chuckled. "Spirited, I see. No matter. That will soon be broken."_

Axel collapsed against the wall, trying as hard as he could to keep the memories away. But no matter how hard he tried, the memories were coming back.

_The man and Ryan talked for a very long time. Axel wasn't sure what they were talking about, but he had the feeling that he didn't really want to know. Every once in a while, they'd glance over at him, so he assumed they were talking about him, which made him feel even more uncomfortable. _

_At last, they returned to where he was standing_

"_We have come to a decision," the man said._

"_Oh? And what's that?" Axel demanded._

"_I have decided that it would be in my best interest to sell you to Sephiroth here," Ryan said. _

"_What?" Axel asked hotly. "You can't do that!"_

_Ryan smiled maliciously. "I. Just. Did." _

_The man named Sephiroth grabbed Axel by the arm and started to drag him away. Axel struggled to free himself from the man's grip._

"_You bastard! How could you do this?" Axel screamed at Ryan. "How could you just sell someone like they're a piece of property?" Ryan only smirked at him. "You sick bastard!"_

_Sephiroth dragged him out of the room. There was a plain-looking woman on the other side of the door. _

"_Take Axel to my chamber and have him prepared. I'll be there shortly," Sephiroth ordered._

"_Yes master." The woman inclined her head slightly._

_She stepped forward and grabbed Axel's free arm. She was a lot stronger than she first looked. Without saying another word, she dragged Axel down a long hallway._

"_Let go of me, you bitch!" Axel growled, trying to pull himself out of the woman's grip._

_The woman was silent, her grip tight. Axel was dragged into a small room and thrown to the ground. The woman left, slamming the door behind her, leaving Axel alone in complete darkness. _

Author's Notes

Well. That turned out a lot differently than I had planned. But I like it. The muses demanded that I write a tender scene between Zack and Cloud WITHOUT them having sex. So I obliged. After what Zack had to go through in the last chapter, I thought it was well-deserved. The mystery surrounding him only seems to deepen.

I listened to "Roxas Theme" by Drammatica again while writing the scene where Roxas because it's so sad and I felt like it fit the scene well. I also listened to "Room of Angel" from Silent Hill 4. I found this song while randomly poking around YouTube and fell in love with it. I chose it to listen to while writing the scenes where Axel is suffering flashbacks because the song is immensely creepy and it just fit with Axel trying to keep reality straight, which is what he's doing right now.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Something was wrong. Bryan didn't know what it was or how he knew, but he was certain there was something wrong. He glanced at Axel's empty seat. Axel had missed every single lesson today and none of the teachers had bothered to explain his absence. Bryan knew from talking with Sora, who had in turn been talking with some of the Bearers, that Roxas had gone into labor during the night, so that would definitely explain Axel's absence. Yet…

Bryan couldn't help feeling like there was something very wrong.

That feeling only intensified as the lesson continued, until Bryan couldn't take it anymore. He asked to be excused from the lesson, giving the excuse that he wasn't feeling well and needed to lie down. But instead of lying down like he said, he walked past the Breeders' dormitory.

"What the hell are you doing?" the guard escorting him demanded.

"I'm going to find Axel. I think…I think there's something wrong with him," Bryan answered without slowing his pace.

The guard frowned. "Something wrong with Axel? He seemed fine when I went to check on him earlier."

"You saw Axel today?" Bryan demanded.

The guard winced. "Uh…yeah. I was the one who escorted Axel to the medical facility after Roxas went into labor. I wanted to make sure he was all right."

"Why? What happened? Bryan asked.

"Well…" the guard hesitated for a moment and Bryan knew that something significant had happened.

"Tell me," Bryan demanded. "Tell me what happened!"

The guard ran his fingers through his cropped hair, making it stand on end.

"Look, you can't tell anyone about this," he hissed after a moment of silence. "Do you understand? No one can know!"

Bryan looked at the guard, startled. Usually, the guards were pretty open about sharing information with the Breeders, especially the younger guards. Whatever had happened, it must have been serious.

"All right, I won't tell. I swear," Bryan said slowly.

To his surprise, the guard dragged him into an empty room and shut the door behind him. Before he had a chance to ask what the hell was going on, the guard stepped forward so they were only inches apart, and put his lips to Bryan's ear.

"Last night, Roxas went into labor, and he gave birth to twin boys," the guard whispered. "But there were complications. For whatever reason, after Roxas gave birth to the second twin, his vitals just dropped. He went into cardiac arrest." Bryan's eyes widened and he stared at the guard. "Don't worry; Roxas's all right. Dr. Vexen managed to resuscitate him. But, as you might imagine, this was quite a shock for Axel." Bryan nodded. "I wanted to make sure Axel was okay because…well…he fainted."

"He fainted?" Bryan asked, shocked.

"Yeah." The guard nodded. "He woke up after a few minutes and he was fine. The doctor looked at him too and didn't find anything wrong with him. I just wanted to make sure he was all right and he seemed fine."

Bryan nodded absently. He wasn't really paying attention to what the guard was saying anymore; he was focusing on the strange feeling he now had, the feeling that he knew what Axel was feeling. He shook his head. That was impossible. There was no way he knew what Axel was feeling.

Unless…

Bryan gasped softly. There was one possible explanation as to why he was feeling Axel's emotions.

"No," he growled softly. "No fucking way I'm letting this happen."

His chest tightened. He knew, almost as though by instinct, that Axel was in serious trouble. Without another word, he burst out of the room and sprinted down the hallways. He knew that he needed to find Axel immediately. He didn't really know where he was going, but he let his instincts guide him.

At last, he stopped, filled with horror. Axel lay crumpled on the ground, almost completely still. With a soft cry, he raced to Axel's side. He didn't pay attention to the guard shouting into his radio.

"Axel!" he cried, giving his friend a gentle shake. There was no response. He shook Axel again, harder. "Axel!"

To his utter surprise, Axel's eyes shot open and his fist swung around, connecting solidly with the side of Bryan's face. Bryan flew back, taken by surprise. Before he had a chance to react, Axel was on top of him, hands closing around his throat.

"Axel…what?" he managed to get out.

He gasped and choked as his air supply was cut off, throat burning. He tried to fight back, but Axel was slightly stronger than him and had the upper hand in the situation.

"Axel, stop!" he managed to get out.

Axel ignored him. In fact, he didn't seem to realize where he was. His gaze seemed vacant, green eyes glassy.

"Please," Bryan whispered, trying to reach his friend, the man he cared about most in the world.

Axel's grip on his throat only grew tighter. Bryan heard alarmed cries, but his vision was blurred. Then, the hands throttling him were gone. He gave a loud gasp and a raspy cough as oxygen suddenly flooded his lungs. He couldn't stop coughing and gasping as he tried to refill his lungs with precious oxygen, but it seemed like no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't getting enough oxygen.

"Shit, he's hyperventilating. Call the med fac, now!" a voice shouted.

A guard suddenly came into Bryan's line of sight, though the image of him was blurred.

"Bryan, listen to me. You need to calm down, okay?" the guard said. "You need to take nice, slow, deep breaths or else you're gonna pass out and we don't want that, now do we?."

Bryan continued gasping, lungs struggling to keep up with his body's demands. His vision was blurring even more now, then everything faded into nothing but black.

"Roxas? Roxas? Can you hear me?"

Groaning softly, Roxas opened his eyes. It was dark, so he didn't know who had woken him up.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"A bit past two," someone answered. "I'm gonna turn the light on, okay?"

"Yeah," Roxas said, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep.

He groaned softly as the overhead light switched on, flooding the room with an almost paralyzing light. He held up his hand to shield his eyes from the harsh light until they had a chance to adjust. When he was finally able to lower his hand, he saw Zack standing at the foot of his bed.

"There's no time to explain," the young guard said before Roxas had a chance to ask. "Get up and put on your robe over your gown." He gestured to the robe Roxas had been given upon being admitted to the medical facility.

"Can you at least tell me the reason why I'm being forced out of bed in the middle of the night?" Roxas asked irritably, crawling out of bed and pulling on his robe as Zack instructed.

"In a word, Axel," Zack answered with a grimace.

Roxas's fingers slipped as he tried to tie the robe's sash. He looked up at Zack urgently.

"Axel? What…what happened to him?" he asked.

"Slippers," Zack said shortly, pointing to the slippers by Roxas's bed.

"All right," Roxas said. "As long as you tell me WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH MY MATE!"

Zack stared at him, shocked by his sudden outburst. He had never heard Roxas shout so loudly, not even when he and Axel were at their worst. And the glare Roxas was giving him…it reminded him of someone, someone with an even fiercer temper than Roxas. In fact, he could almost see him looking at him instead of Roxas. Zack shook his head. He was just imagining things, right?

"Zack!" Roxas said sharply.

"Come on," Zack replied. "Let's go."

But Roxas refused to budge. "Not until you tell me what's going on."

Zack pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Damn it, Roxas, this isn't the time to be stubborn."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me." Roxas crossed his arms.

"Fine!" Zack threw up his hands in defeat. "Axel is sick. Really sick."

"Sick?" Roxas asked, frowning. "He seemed fine this morning."

"I'm not talking physically ill," Zack replied.

Roxas's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

"Yeah," Zack said grimly. "He's ill mentally."

"What happened?" Roxas asked. Zack shook his head. "Come on, Zack. I deserve to know."

"It's not that," Zack said. "It's that you were supposed to be there five minutes ago."

"Be where?" Roxas asked.

"Where do you think? Axel's room," Zack answered. "Now come on!"

Roxas obediently followed Zack out of his private room in the medical facility. He was supposed to be on strict bed rest until he had a chance to recover his strength, so whatever was going on had to be enormous.

"Strictly speaking, you're not supposed to be allowed in Axel's room; he's too unstable to let anyone near him, but you're his mate. You have the right to be there," Zack said as they moved at a fast walk down the hallway.

"I don't understand," Roxas said, straining to keep up with Zack. "What happened to him to cause him to become so unstable so fast? I mean, he seemed fine yesterday morning."

"We don't know," Zack replied. "He vanished from the medical facility and no one knew where he was until Bryan and I came across him yesterday afternoon."

"You and Bryan found him?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah." Zack nodded. "Let's stop for a moment, okay?"

Roxas was grateful for the break; he was exhausted from trying to keep up with Zack. He leaned against the whitewashed wall, breathing heavily.

"How…did…you…know…something…was…wrong? Roxas asked through deep breaths of air.

"He attacked Bryan," Zack answered grimly.

"He…what?" Roxas stammered.

"He tried to strangle him," Zack said.

"But Bryan is his friend. He would never…never…" Roxas faltered.

"I know," Zack said. "That's how I knew there was something wrong. Axel may be a cold bastard, but he'd never raise his fist against anyone, least of all Bryan."

"Is he okay?" Roxas asked. "Bryan, I mean."

"Yeah," Zack answered. "I called in some backup and we managed to get Axel off him before he was able to kill him."

"K…kill?" Roxas stammered.

"Yeah," Zack said.

"But Axel wouldn't…" Roxas protested.

"I know," Zack interrupted gently. "But it seemed pretty clear that he was trying to kill him."

"But didn't Bryan try to fight back?" Roxas asked.

"Of course he did," Zack answered. "But Axel was too strong for him."

Roxas was silent, tears running down his cheeks. Zack wished he could do something to comfort him, but there wasn't any time. They had to sneak in and out of Axel's room before Dr. Vexen came to check on him, which, according to Zack's source, happened in about ten minutes.

"We need to hurry," he said, turning to Roxas.

Fortunately, Roxas didn't ask any questions. They started walking again at a brisk pace. Every once in a while, Zack turned to check on Roxas. He was impressed by Roxas's stamina; he never once fell behind.

At last, they reached the room Axel was being kept in. Zack halted Roxas outside and checked to make sure the coast was clear before letting Roxas enter.

Roxas uttered a soft cry and hurried across the room to his mate's side. He paused for a moment or so, trying to gather the courage to look down. He gasped quietly as he saw just how bad Axel looked.

Axel's fiery red hair was a tangled mess and stuck out in every direction imaginable. His skin was deathly pale, which made his hair stand out even more. He was dressed in a loose gown, an IV stuck in his arm. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth and his breath clouded the inside of the plastic.

Roxas took in an unsteady breath and reached out. He gently placed his hand on top of Axel's. He was surprised to find the skin burning; Axel's pale complexion suggested that he would be cold.

Roxas didn't know how long he stood there, staring at Axel. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Zack.

"We have to go," Zack said softly. "Dr. Vexen is on his way here to check on Axel and he won't be happy to see you."

Roxas nodded and wiped away the tears clouding his vision. They slipped out of Axel's room and started to make the journey back to Roxas's room, but then Roxas suddenly stopped.

"Zack, I want to go see Bryan," he said.

Zack frowned. "Bryan? Why?"

"Just take me to see him!" Roxas snapped.

"Roxas, it's the middle of the night," Zack said gently. "Now's not exactly the best time."

"I need to talk to him," Roxas persisted.

Zack sighed softly. "Look, I can take you to see him tomorrow morning." Roxas looked at him suspiciously. "I'm not lying. I'd be very glad to take you to see Bryan, but I think it would be better if you wait until morning. That way, neither of you will be tired and you'll be more alert than you are right now."

"All right," Roxas finally agreed. "I'll talk to him in the morning. But you'd better not be lying."

Zack smiled. "Don't worry. I promise I'll take you to see him as soon as we have a chance. And I don't break promises I make."

Author's Notes

I had a lot of trouble writing the scene where Axel strangles Bryan. I rewrote it a couple times because I wasn't happy with it. I actually looked to the 2009 Star Trek movie for inspiration.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The next morning, as promised, Zack returned to Roxas's room as soon as possible to get him ready to see Bryan. Luckily, Bryan was allowed to have visitors, so as soon as Zack cleared it with Dr. Vexen, he went to Roxas's room.

"You came," Roxas said, his eyes lighting up when he saw Zack.

"Yeah, of course I did," Zack replied. "I promised, didn't I?"

"Yeah." Roxas smiled. The smile disappeared when a nurse came in with a wheelchair. "Oh no. There's no way in hell I'm riding in that thing."

"Oh yes you are," Zack countered. "If you want to see Bryan, you're going via wheelchair."

"But I'm fine," Roxas protested.

"Doesn't matter," Zack said. "We're not taking any chances."

Roxas glared at him, but after he put on his robe and slippers, he obediently sat in the wheelchair.

"I'll take it from here, thanks," Zack said, moving around to the back of the wheelchair.

The nurse nodded and moved out of the way. Zack expertly navigated the wheelchair through the hallways, until they came to Bryan's room.

"I'm gonna go in and let Bryan know he has a visitor before I take you in," Zack said.

"All right," Roxas agreed.

Zack applied the wheelchair's brakes and knocked softly on the door before going in. Roxas could only catch a few snippets of their conversation.

"Hey Bryan…feeling?" Zack asked.

"All right…pain not…before," Bryan replied.

"…have visitor…" Zack said.

"…who?" Bryan asked.

"You'll see," Zack replied. "…up for…"

"Yeah…guess…" Bryan said.

"…get…him…" Zack said.

The door opened and Zack came out, grinning.

"All right," he said.

He released the brakes on the wheelchair and wheeled Roxas into the room. Bryan was sitting up in bed, propped up by several large pillows. He was deathly pale, save for the livid bruises on his neck. Roxas shuddered slightly when he saw the bruises; they were in the shape of fingers. He didn't really want to think about the implications. He quickly adverted his gaze away from the bruises; Bryan was staring at him, though he wasn't glaring at him. Instead, he stared at Roxas, surprised.

Zack pushed Roxas up to the side of the bed and applied the brakes, then stepped back to stand in the corner to be as invisible as he possibly could.

"Roxas…why?" Bryan asked hoarsely.

"I wanted to make sure you were all right," Roxas answered.

"I'm fine," Bryan said, biting his lip.

"No you aren't," Roxas said quietly. "I can tell."

Bryan shook his head. "I said I'm fine."

"And I know you're not," Roxas countered. "Look, I can understand if you don't want to talk about it. And you don't have to tell me what's on your mind, but…if you ever do need someone to talk to you, I'll listen."

He reached out slowly, hesitatingly, then finally put his hand on top of Bryan's. Bryan looked up at him, startled, but didn't pull away. No one had reached out to him like that before, no one seemed to care about him like Roxas did.

He wasn't quick to trust others, especially since he had been betrayed so many times in the past. Roxas didn't realize just how much he and Axel had in common—they had both from less-than-happy circumstances and neither of them were quick to trust others.

But Bryan could sense that he could sense Roxas. He knew it was crazy and probably stupid, but he just couldn't stop himself. Somehow, he knew Roxas was different.

He leaned over as far as his IV would let him and put his hand on top of Roxas's.

"Thank you, Roxas," he whispered.

"For what?" Roxas asked.

"For caring," Bryan answered.

Roxas smiled. "Of course."

Bryan removed his hand from Roxas's and returned to his original position, fighting to regain control of his emotions.

"Bryan?" Roxas asked softly. Bryan turned to look at him, though he didn't say anything. "Were you afraid when Axel attacked you?"

Bryan felt the overwhelmingly urge to lie, like he always did when he confronted with the subject of his emotions, but he squashed that urge.

Swallowing hard, he said, "Yes. I was afraid." He hesitated for a moment, wondering exactly how he should word his next couple of sentences. "I…"

"Take your time," Roxas said softly. "I know it's hard. I can tell."

Bryan sighed softly and stared at the wall for a few moments before trying again, "I…well let's just say I'm used to being hurt by people I care about."

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked.

Bryan smiled bitterly. "I wasn't treated with kindness growing up and I'll leave it at that. I guess you could say that I'm used to being smacked around by people. It doesn't bother me anymore.

"But with Axel, it was different. He seemed intent on killing me. I…I tried to reach him, but it was like he wasn't in there, like he didn't even know what he was doing. And that scared me the most. I know he would never do that to me, to anyone. He's cold, but he'd never hurt anyone, much less try to kill them. Even when he's extremely pissed off."

"I know," Roxas whispered. "I know he wouldn't do something like that. Ever. Something's wrong with him. I don't know what, but I know there's something wrong. I can feel it."

All of a sudden, they heard raised voices coming from down the hall, followed by loud screams. Bryan felt sick as he recognized Axel as the one screaming. He turned to Roxas, whose face had gone extremely white. Without saying a word, Roxas rose, trembling. Then, he sprinted out of the room, shoving the guard who had accompanied him aside.

"Roxas!" the guard protested, then ran after him.

Bryan wasted no time getting out of bed. Suppressing a groan, he pulled out the needle in his arm that hooked him up to his IV. It was extremely painful, especially since he pulled it out haphazardly. He didn't even bother with his robe or slippers and ran down the hall barefoot in the direction the screams were coming from.

He stopped when he found an open door and peered inside just in time to see Axel strike Roxas across the face, hard. Roxas cried out softly, his face twisting around.

"Get him out of here!" Dr. Vexen shouted from beside Axel's bed.

The young guard who had accompanied Roxas put his arm around Roxas and started guiding him towards the door. Roxas made no sort of protest, his hand cupping his injured cheek. As they reached the door, both of them looked up, the guard's face grim, Roxas's face filled with confusion and pain.

"He…hit me," Roxas said.

Tears appeared in his eyes. Bryan felt a huge wave of sympathy for Roxas then. He knew what Roxas was going through, how it felt to be struck by someone you cared about. Wordlessly, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Roxas. He saw the guard stiffen out of the corner of his eye, but ignored him. He knew how to handle Roxas right now better than anyone.

"I know what it feels like to be hit like this," he whispered. "Holding back your feelings will only make things worse. It's okay to cry. Let it all out. It'll make you feel better."

Roxas let out a muffled whimper, then at last, began sobbing. Bryan was vaguely aware that Axel had stopped screaming, but only cared about the blonde currently sobbing in his arms. He could feel Roxas trembling badly.

"It's okay," he said quietly, gently rubbing Roxas's back.

At last, Roxas's sobs ceased, though he was shaking badly.

"Do you feel better?" Bryan asked softly.

"Yeah, a little," Roxas answered, his shirt muffled by Bryan's shirt.

Bryan smiled, though Roxas wouldn't see it. "You're welcome."

Several days passed and Axel did not improve. In fact, it seemed as though his violent outbursts were only getting worse. Dr. Vexen kept him restrained almost constantly as well as sedated. Visitors were strictly forbidden, but after several days of protesting by Roxas, Dr. Vexen finally allowed him to visit as long as he was accompanied by a guard at all times and left before Axel's current dose of medication wore off.

At first, it was difficult for Roxas to be in the same room as Axel, but after a while, he overcame whatever fears he had, and stayed by his mate's side almost constantly. One thing was clear: despite everything Axel had done, despite the fact that he had lashed out at him physically, Roxas remained fiercely devoted to his mate.

_Axel didn't know how much time had passed before the door opened. Two large men entered, both of them dressed in dark clothes. Axel didn't see their faces. Both of them stepped forward. Axel automatically stepped back. He felt his back press against the cold wall. Trapped. One of the men grabbed his arm, pressing his other hand over Axel's mouth. Axel reacted instinctively; he sank his teeth into the man's hand. The man grunted and let go._

"_Stupid brat," he muttered. _

"_You okay?" the other man asked gruffly._

"_Yeah," the first man answered. "He just bit me."_

_The second man stepped forward and stuck Axel violently across the head. Axel stumbled into the wall, spots appearing in his line of sight. The other man grabbed his arm again and pushed up his sleeve. A needle was jabbed into his forearm and some sort of liquid was injected into his body. The man holding his arm let go and he and the other man left. Axel collapsed, the drug quickly taking effect. He had no idea what they had given him. Slowly, he closed his eyes and drifted off…_

_Axel abruptly awoke. He was cold, dizzy, and sick. His entire body throbbed and he couldn't move. Wildly, he looked around. He was laying on a hard bed, his hands cuffed above his head. _

_The room was dark and damp, with a faint mustiness hanging in the air, like the room hadn't seen sunlight in ages, which it probably hadn't. There wasn't much in the room besides the bed and a door across from it. Axel shivered slightly. After a few moments, he realized why he was so cold he wasn't wearing any clothes. The door opened and Sephiroth came in._

"_Ah, you're finally awake," he said, stepping across the small space. "I must admit I prefer boys who are much older than you are, but I was most intrigued when Ryan spoke about you. He said you had a lot of spirit."_

_He reached out and stroked Axel's cheek with his thumb. Axel hissed at the contact and pulled away as far as the handcuffs would allow. Sephiroth chuckled softly. _

"_Oh yes, I will have so much fun breaking you," he whispered._

_The mattress sagged under Sephiroth's weight as he joined Axel on the bed. Axel didn't like how close the man was to him. He closed his eyes as the man started touching every part of his body, including his private areas. He didn't understand what was going on, but he knew he wanted the touching to stop._

_Axel didn't know if he was awake or dreaming anymore; it seemed so real, but how did he know it was real? Sometimes dreams were vivid and felt real even though they weren't. Everything was starting to blur together so he had no idea what date it was, or even what year it was. _

_A pair of boots appeared in his line of sight and suddenly, his bonds were cut. Someone kneeled down in his line of sight, a man with flaming red hair and piercing blue eyes. _

"_Hey. I'm Reno. What's your name?" he said in a soft voice._

"_A…Axel," he stammered. _

_Why was he telling the man this? Why was he trusting him? Hadn't he already seen what came of trusting people? So what about this man felt different? Why did he feel like he could trust this man named Reno?_

"_You think you can walk?" Reno asked._

"_Y…yeah," Axel answered. _

_Slowly, he pushed himself up. Oh, how good it felt to be free! A blanket was draped over his shoulders. He looked up at his rescuer, who cracked a grin._

"_Can't have you runnin' around butt naked, can we? It'd make people uncomfortable," Reno said._

"_Right," Axel muttered._

"_Think you're ready to stand?" Reno asked. _

_Axel answered by slowly getting to his feet. He felt Reno take his elbow and muttered a weak protest, but Reno didn't let go of him. Slowly, he guided Axel out, toward his freedom._

_The scene rapidly shifted to a place Axel didn't recognize. There was nothing around him but grey. Then, the figure of a man appeared. Axel squinted, trying to remember who this man was. _

"_R…Reno?" he finally asked. _

_The man nodded. "That's right. I'm pleased you remember me. We only met that one time."_

"_Yeah, I remember," Axel said slowly. "I didn't before, but I do now. You were that cop, right?"_

"_Yeah," Reno said, nodding again._

"_So why are you here?" Axel asked. "Wherever 'here' is."_

"_Hell if I know where we are," Reno muttered. "Or what's going on." _

"_Is this real?" Axel asked. Reno only shrugged. "You're not helping!"_

"_Temper, temper," Reno scolded._

"_And you are chiding me because…?" Axel asked. "If I remember correctly, you were worse than me."_

"_So your memories are coming back. Good." Reno smiled. _

"_I thought you didn't know what was going on," Axel said, outraged._

"_Whoops." Reno smiled in a falsely innocent way. Axel glared at him. "All right, here's the deal. It's important that you remembered what happened when you were growing up so you can deal with it. It's time you stop running from your past." _

"_But…" Axel bit his lip._

"_I know it's tough," Reno said gently._

_You have no idea, Axel thought savagely._

"_But you need to confront whatever demons you've been running from," Reno continued. "I know you can do it. I have faith in you." _

"_But…" Axel protested again. _

"_I know you're strong," Reno said. "You're stronger than you think. I saw some of that strength the day we met and that's why I chose you to be Roxas's mate." _

"_Wait, you…?" Axel asked, staring at Reno._

"_Aw fuck," Reno muttered. "I've said too much." He looked at Axel. "Look, you've gotta go. Like now."_

"_I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on," Axel growled. _

_Reno sighed. "So stubborn. Guess we're gonna have to do this the hard way."_

"_What do you m…" _

_Axel was cut off as he found himself suddenly falling."_

"_YOU BASTARD!" Was all he managed to get out before everything went dark again. _

Author's Notes

I've had a very rough week but I'm still updating. Bryan's past is finally starting to come out, a bit at least. Same with Axel's. Those two have a lot in common, which is why they're so close.

Pretty much nothing that happened in this chapter was planned, it just sort of happened. But that's what I get for letting Reno into this chapter.

Speaking of which, he's a huge pain in the ass. Reno, I mean. He just randomly shows up and makes a mess of things. Though I do like the way things are going with him, which is pretty much the only reason I'm letting him get away with this.

15


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Axel's eyes snapped open. He struggled for a few moments to catch his breath and he could feel a cold sweat on his neck. He stared at a strange tiled ceiling for several minutes, not understanding where he was or what he was doing there in the first place.

There was a blinding light shining in his eyes that made his head ache terribly. He tried to reach up with his hand to block the light from his eyes, but he couldn't move; he was being restrained. Panic set in at once and he twisted around, trying to get free. A warm hand was placed on his chest.

"Easy Axel," a voice murmured.

"Light hurts," Axel croaked. "Too bright."

"Okay," the voice said after a moment's pause. "I'll turn the lights down." The light was dimmed. "How's that?"

"Better," Axel answered.

He blinked and the room came into focus. He turned his head to the side and blinked again to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He wasn't. Roxas sat in a very uncomfortable-looking chair with a straight metal back. Axel felt something stir in the pit of his stomach when he saw Roxas sitting there, staring at him in shock.

"You're awake!" Roxas gasped softly. "Dear god, you're actually awake!"

Axel frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I have to tell Dr. Vexen," Roxas said, clearly ignoring Axel's question.

Before Axel had a chance to protest, Roxas had run out of the room. A few moments later, he was back, dragging Dr. Vexen along with him. The blonde was babbling about something or other; he spoke too fast for Axel to keep up. At last, Roxas turned to Axel, smiling widely. Dr. Vexen also looked at him, then gasped softly, and rushed to his side.

"I don't believe it," he muttered. "This is the first time he's woken up without dissolving into a psychotic rage."

"Hey, I _can_ hear you, you know," Axel growled.

Dr. Vexen jumped at this and stared at him for a few moments before slowly saying, "Axel…do you know where you are?"

"Uh…I'm going to take a wild guess and say that I'm in the medical facility," Axel replied.

Dr. Vexen gasped softly. "I don't believe it! Somehow, he's become completely lucid without any explanation of how this occurred." He walked out, still muttering to himself.

Axel turned to his mate. "Can you tell me what the hell is going on here?"

"Well…" Roxas said slowly. "You've been…kind of out of it for a while."

"That's putting it mildly," a voice said from the shadows. "You were fucking out of your mind."

"Zack, be nice," Roxas chided, turning to frown at the corner.

"I'm just callin' it how I see it," Zack said.

"I was…crazy?" Axel asked, frowning.

"Yeah I guess you could say that," Roxas answered. "You weren't yourself."

His gaze suddenly shifted away for a moment and Axel knew something was wrong.

"What?" he asked. "What is it?" Roxas didn't answer. A horrifying thought suddenly occurred to him. "Did I…did I do something?" The look Roxas gave him told him everything he needed to know. "What did I do?" he received no response. "WHAT DID I DO? TELL ME!"

Roxas jumped in his seat and Zack immediately crossed the room, moving faster than Axel had ever seen him move before.

"Axel, calm down," he warned.

Axel ignored him. "What did I do? I need to know."

"Well…" Roxas said slowly. "You can't blame yourself for what happened, okay? You weren't in your right mind when it happened."

"When what happened?" Axel asked. "Just tell me!"

"You…" Roxas hesitated. "You sort of…"

"Just spit it out!" Axel barked.

"YousortofattackedBryan," Roxas blurted out.

"I…what?" Axel frowned.

"YouattackedBryan," Roxas said quickly.

"Slow down," Axel commanded. "I can't understand a word you're saying."

"You…attacked…Bryan." Roxas enunciated every word.

Axel gasped softly and stared at Roxas. "I…I couldn't have. I'd never! You're…you're lying!"

"I'm not lying." Roxas shook his head. "I really wish I was. But I'm not."

"You saw me?" Axel asked, dropping his voice to a whisper.

"No," Roxas replied. "But Zack did."

Axel turned to Zack, who nodded. "God. Oh god. Please tell me Bryan's okay. Tell me he's okay!"

"He's fine," Roxas said soothingly. "He's just fine."

Axel closed his eyes, trying to process all the information that had been thrown at him. It was a lot to process at one time. At last, he opened his eyes and looked at Roxas, who watched him, his expression soft.

"Is there anything else you'd like to know?" Roxas asked.

"How…" Axel licked his dry lips. "How long have I been here? Been like this?"

"A couple days," Roxas answered. "I haven't really been keeping track." He gave a quiet laugh. "I have to admit, the days have started blurring together."

He suddenly got to his feet and walked over to a cart parked in one of the corners. He picked up a pitcher and poured a clear liquid into a glass. Axel instinctively licked his lips at the sight of the liquid; his mouth was extremely dry and shouting at Roxas had only made it worse. Roxas gently set the pitcher back on the cart and brought the glass over. Axel blinked in surprise when Roxas pressed the glass against his lips.

"Here, drink this," he said softly. "It's water."

Axel stared at him in shock for a few moments and then scowled. He didn't help, not from Roxas, not from anyone!

"Don't be a stubborn ass right now," Roxas growled, seeing the scowl Axel gave him. "Drink the goddamn water."

Axel finally caved, his need for water more urgent than his pride at the moment. He allowed Roxas to tip the glass so he could drink.

"Go slow," Roxas urged. "You'll make yourself sick if you drink too fast."

Axel nodded slightly and slowed his pace, though it was tempting to drink all the water at once. When the glass was empty, Roxas returned the glass to its place on the cart next to the pitcher. Axel watched his mate intently as he returned to his seat next to Axel's bed. Then, as if for the first time, he noticed the bruise on Roxas's cheek.

"That bruise," he said. "Did I…?"

Roxas's hand automatically rose and his fingertips lightly touched it.

"You didn't mean it," Roxas said shortly, dropping his hand to his side again.

Axel couldn't believe that Roxas was able to dismiss it so easily. He had lashed out at him and yet he wasn't upset, wasn't afraid of his mate. Then, he realized, that it had been several days since he had lashed out at Roxas, judging by the way the bruise was starting to heal. He was probably able to work through the problem. And Axel had a feeling he knew who had been there to help him, someone who had plenty of experience.

"Bryan helped you." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Roxas replied.

"How much did he tell you?" Axel asked.

"Not very much," Roxas answered. He smiled bitterly. "But it was enough for me to put the pieces together on my own. He was abused, wasn't he? By someone he loved?"

"Boyfriend," Axel grunted.

"That's what I thought," Roxas murmured.

He fell silent, staring at the far wall, apparently lost in his thoughts. Axel stared at him, carefully studying him. He looked so worn out, like he hadn't been sleeping properly, which he probably hadn't.

Roxas knew Axel was staring at him, but for some reason, it didn't bother him. He seemed like he was trying to process everything that was going on, so Roxas didn't say anything.

It seemed like an eternity before Axel finally asked, "Why are you here?"

The lack of harshness in his voice surprised Roxas. He sounded curious and for once, he did not appear to be demanding an answer.

"You were sick," Roxas answered. "It seemed right for me to be here, to take care of you."

"But why do you care?" Axel asked. "Why do you care about me?"

"I'm your mate," Roxas answered. "I made a promise to protect and love you and I don't intend to break that promise. Besides, I…" he stopped for a moment, trying to gather up the courage to say what he wanted to say. "I…I love you."

It was something he had been struggling with for a long time, though he never told anyone about it. It wasn't something he wanted anyone else to know about. He had felt this way about Axel for quite some time now, though he had tried to deny it.

At first, he never would have thought he would fall in love with Axel. He had perceived his mate as being a cold bastard, but as time went on, he realized that there was more to Axel than first appeared. In all honesty, Axel wasn't a bad person.

Roxas wasn't sure when, but somewhere along the way, he had stopped looking at only Axel's negative qualities and had started looking at the positive qualities instead. Deep down, Roxas had always known that Axel was a good person; he had just denied it for so long.

Roxas realized after a few moments that Axel had turned away from him and now refused to meet his gaze.

"Axel?" he asked softly. "Axel, please look at me."

"Why should I?" Axel snarled.

"Don't do this!" Roxas's voice rose.

"Do what?" Axel asked.

"Stop trying to push me away!" Roxas shouted.

"I know this is a bad time, but we have to go," Zack suddenly interjected. Roxas turned to him with a frosty glare. "Yeah, I know. I don't want to leave either, but it's time for dinner, and Dr. Vexen will be extremely pissed off if you don't eat."

Roxas sighed softly. "All right. Just give me a moment." He turned back to Axel. "I just want to help."

"I can't…" Axel's gaze was level, though Roxas could almost see a bit of regret in his eyes. "You can't help me. No one can. I…can't be saved."

Roxas leaned over and tenderly pressed his lips against Axel's temple. "Well, I can at least try, right?" he turned to Zack. "I'm ready to go."

"Uh, right." Zack nervously cleared his throat. "Let's go."

Wordlessly, Roxas followed him out.

He loves me? Axel wondered silently for what seemed like the millionth time that day. It was weeks after Roxas's startling confession, three weeks to be precise, but Axel had barely noticed the weeks pass. He had been lost in his thoughts of Roxas until they all but consumed him. It was all he could think about, what he dreamed about. And slowly, he came to accept it. He had no other choice, really. Whether or not he liked it, things had changed between them. As much as he hated to admit it, it was time for him to stop running. He knew what he had to do, what he had to admit, and that was not easy. But he had to set things right.

Axel watched the Bearers file out of their dormitory, heading for dinner. With help from Bryan, he had been able to slip away from the others and make his way to the Bearers' dormitory undetected.

As he had predicted, Roxas had lagged behind the others and even better, he was behind his two friends. Axel knew they would not be happy to see them, especially the pregnant one, who was extremely protective of Roxas. It was so much easier knowing they wouldn't interfere.

Taking a deep breath, Axel stepped forward as Roxas's friends rounded the corner, blocking Roxas's path. Roxas looked at him, a surprised expression briefly crossing his face before that expression hardened.

"What do you want?" he asked harshly.

Axel chose not to answer, walking forward, drawing closer to his mate. He could see the apprehension growing in Roxas's eyes, confusion building.

"A…Axel?" he stammered as Axel wrapped his arms around him.

They were so close now, only inches apart. Axel leaned in and pressed his lips to Roxas's for a slow, hesitant kiss. Roxas was quick to pull away, though he didn't force Axel to let go of him.

"What the hell was that?" Roxas growled.

"What do you think it was?" Axel asked.

"But…why?" Roxas asked.

"Because…" Axel took a deep breath. "Because I love you."

Roxas's eyes widened at Axel's words. "You…what?"

"Roxas, I love you," Axel said gently.

"And you think that I'm just going to pretend like nothing happened, ignore the fact that you've hurt me over and over again despite all I've done for you?" Roxas hissed.

"Well…I…" Axel swallowed hard. "No. I don't expect you to forgive me or understand why I treated you so harshly."

"Yeah?" Roxas asked hotly. "Well I guess you don't know me as well as you think you do."

"Roxas…mmph." Axel grunted as Roxas unexpectedly pressed their lips together. "I don't understand." He frowned as Roxas pulled away.

"I love you, you jackass," Roxas growled. "Despite everything you've done, despite how much you've hurt me, I love you."

Axel couldn't help smiling as he brought their lips together again. This time, he kissed Roxas with more feeling.

He did not realize had an audience, for Zexion and Demyx had come back to see why Roxas had suddenly stopped following them. What they saw stopped them dead in their tracks. It was a sight they never dreamed they'd see: Roxas and Axel locked in an extremely passionate kiss. Neither of them had ever seen such a passionate embrace before. Then, Zexion turned to Demyx, a smug grin flitting across his face.

"You lose."

Author's Notes

Two songs in particular I listened to were "Flynn Lives" from the Tron: Legacy soundtrack while writing the opening scene because it's such a triumphant piece and it went well with Axel's triumph over his insanity. And I listened to Pat Benatar's "We Belong" for the ending scene because it fits the relationship of Axel and Roxas so well.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Demyx blinked, confused. He had been so engrossed in watching Roxas and Axel's make out session that he hadn't heard what Zexion had said. Zexion nudged him in the ribs.

"Wha?" he managed to get out, tearing his eyes away from Roxas and Axel.

"I said you lost. The bet?" Zexion pointed to Roxas and Axel, still oblivious that they were standing there.

"Oh. Right." Demyx had almost forgotten about that bet. "What do I owe you?"

"Later," Zexion muttered. He cleared his throat loudly. "It's nice to see that you two have kissed and made up, but do you really think it's a good idea to be making out in such a public place?"

He finally got their attention; they broke apart and turned towards them. Roxas's face immediately flushed when he saw Zexion and Demyx standing there. Axel just looked angry that he and Roxas had been interrupted.

"Hey, don't give me that nasty look." Zexion held up his hands in a placating manner. "I'm very happy that the two of you are finally getting along, but I'm sure you will be much happier if you go to a more private place."

Roxas nodded. He gently touched Axel's shoulder. "He's right."

After a long hesitation, Axel nodded. "I know where we can go. Come on."

He grabbed Roxas's hand and pulled him down the hallway, away from Zexion and Demyx. The two lovers stared after them, watching as their fingers entwined as they disappeared around the corner.

"Holy fuck. Did that just really happen?" Demyx after a short silence.

"Looks like it," Zexion answered.

Demyx shook his head. "Holy. Fucking. Hell. I don't believe it."

Axel pulled Roxas down the hallways, keeping an eye out for guards. It wasn't difficult; he had a lot of practice and could easily make his way from one end of The Institute to the other without being caught.

Finally, they came to the hallway that held the Breeding rooms. The hallway was deserted at the moment; none of the Bearers were in heat.

"Are you sure it's okay for us to use this room even though I'm not in heat?" Roxas asked worriedly as Axel opened one of the doors and ushered him in.

"Let's put it this way," Axel said, closing and locking the door behind him. "This is the best place. I'm sure they wouldn't be too happy if we did it in…other places."

Roxas flushed at the thought, but nodded. Axel quickly closed the distance between them, so they were extremely close.

"Are you ready for this?" Axel questioned.

Roxas stared up at him through calm sapphire eyes. "Yes."

"This isn't like before," Axel warned.

"I'm well aware of that." Roxas's mouth hovered several inches away from Axel's, hesitating.

Axel was the one who finished the kiss. Their lips pressed together, came apart, and came back together again. Axel was slightly surprised that Roxas was the one who deepened the kiss, but went with it. The kisses became longer, hotter. Axel quickly stripped Roxas's clothes off followed by his own.

They lay together on the bed. Axel spread Roxas's legs and reached down to prepare him. Roxas whimpered softly at the contact and closed his eyes. He only opened them again when he felt Axel's fingers withdraw.

"Are you all right?" Axel asked.

"Y…yeah," Roxas stammered. He smiled up at his mate. "I'm fine."

Axel smiled down at him and gently brushed his fingers against Roxas's cheek. Then, he slid forward and connected their bodies. Roxas cried out softly. Axel muttered an apology. He adjusted his position over Roxas and started thrusting slowly at first, then faster and faster. Roxas moaned quietly, arching his back with each thrust. He tightly griped the sheets, breaths coming in short pants. Axel thrust harder and harder. Then, he finally released with a low grunt and withdrew, collapsing next to his mate.

Roxas immediately wrapped his arms around him. Axel did not push him away, but instead, pulled him closer. Somehow, this time was different. When their bodies connected this time, he felt different, and it wasn't just the fact that he and Roxas were no longer at odds with each other. No, there was something else that made the sex different, the emotions he felt more powerful. Exactly what had changed would be clear with time.

Roxas had fallen asleep, curled up against him, his breath warm on Axel's neck. Axel couldn't help smiling at him; Roxas was incredibly adorable when he slept. Axel watched him sleep, his mind straying elsewhere.

The memories he had been suppressing were coming back again. It wasn't like before, when the memories came at random with no warning and he had no control over them. They came now when his mind was idle, especially at night when he dreamed.

He knew, of course, what had happened, though the memories had always been vague. Now, the haze was lifting, and he was starting to remember everything.

Axel closed his eyes and concentrated, conjuring up an image of the man called Reno in his mind. He saw fiery red hair framing a thin, angular face with extremely feminine features. But the thing he remembered most were the eyes. Vivid blue eyes, such a stunning shade of blue. There was only one other who had eyes like that.

Axel's eyes snapped open. Breathing heavily, he glanced over at Roxas, who had woken up and watched him with a mixture of curiosity and anxiety.

"Axel? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Axel answered at once. "There's nothing wrong." Roxas looked like he didn't believe him. Axel exhaled softly. "Roxas, do you…do you know who your father is?"

Roxas looked at him, surprised. "Why do you want to know?"

"I just want to know," Axel said, trying to keep his voice level.

"Well, I don't know," Roxas replied. "I've met my dad, the one who gave birth to me, but I've never met my father. My dad said…" he swallowed hard. "He said he didn't know who my father was."

Axel's eyes widened. "O…oh. Roxas, I'm sorry."

Roxas smiled through watery eyes. "It's all right. You didn't know."

Axel gently stroked his hair until he went back to sleep. Axel's thoughts drifted once more to Reno. He couldn't say why he couldn't stop thinking about Reno, but the image of that man wouldn't leave him alone.

Sighing, Axel closed his eyes again and tried to remember everything he could about Reno. There wasn't a lot he remembered about him. They had met when Axel had been a prostitute, a profession that Fyran had forced him into. Yes, the day they met, Axel had been with a client. He had been one of those types who was into bondage so Axel had been handcuffed. The man had left for a few moments. Where had he gone? Axel couldn't remember. It didn't really seem important. The important thing was that he had been alone when Reno had found him.

The first thing of Reno that Axel had seen were his boots. He had been laying on the floor so it was understandable that his boots were the first thing he saw. He remembered being extremely confused, especially after he was unexpectedly freed from his bonds. A few moments later, he got his first glimpse of Reno. The first thing he saw was red. It took him a few moments to realize that he was looking at hair. The next thing he saw was a pair of vivid blue eyes.

He tried to remember what else had happened that day. Reno had introduced himself and then he gave Axel a blanket so he wouldn't have to walk around naked. Yes and then Axel got up and had started walking. And Reno had taken him by the elbow to help him out. But after that…what had happened?

_Axel blinked as he stepped outside, the sunlight harsh on his eyes. He hadn't seen sunlight for…he didn't know how long it had been. But it felt good. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to feel the sun on his face, warming his skin. He hoped Reno didn't see the tears slipping down his face. If he did, he didn't say anything and Axel was grateful for that._

_Once Axel's eyes adjusted to the change in light, he saw absolute chaos. There were scores of reporters taking photos and shouting question after question, their voices overlapping, causing a confusing atmosphere that made Axel's head spin. Beside him, Reno gave a low growl._

"_Don't say anything, all right?" he whispered. _

_Axel could only nod. Reno led him away from all the confusion, towards an ambulance that waited with its doors open. _

"_Here, you need to be examined by the paramedics," Reno said, propelling him forward. _

_Axel turned to him, scowling. "I'm fine. I don't need to be seen by anyone."_

"_Maybe, but it's standard protocol. I'm afraid you don't have a choice."_

_Scowling, Axel allowed Reno to propel him forward, toward the waiting paramedics. _

With a great yawn, Axel opened his eyes. He hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep. How much time had passed since he fell asleep? He turned his head to the side. Roxas was awake, staring at him with a shocked expression.

"You…stayed," Roxas said before Axel could ask him what was wrong. "This time, you didn't leave after we had sex. You waited for me to wake up."

"Yes, of course." Axel smiled at him, then leaned over and kissed him on the lips.

"We…should really get back," Roxas wheezed as the kisses started getting hotter. "The others will wonder where we are."

"Yeah," Axel agreed, though he made no attempt to move.

Eventually, though, he got up and started seeking out his clothes. Roxas did the same. They were quiet while they dressed, each of them consumed with their own thoughts.

Axel led the way down the hallways, holding Roxas's hand the entire way. When they came to the hallway that led to the Bearers' dormitory, Axel stopped.

"The Bearers' dormitory is right down there," he said. "I'm not allowed to go with you."

"Okay," Roxas replied.

Axel gave him one more long kiss and let go of his hand. Roxas walked down the hallway, towards the Bearers' dormitory while Axel walked in the opposite direction, towards the Breeders' dormitory.

The guards standing outside glared at him, but did not prevent him from entering. Axel gritted his teeth; the dormitory was full. Several heads shot up as Axel made his way to his bunk. The heads turned towards him as he passed; Roxas's scent still lingered on his skin. Axel hoped that a fight wouldn't break out.

Bryan was waiting by their shared bunk. "Well, there's no need for me to ask what you've been doing." His lips curled up into a smirk. "Oh should I say _who_ you've been doing."

"Fuck off," Axel muttered, pushing past him.

"Ooh, someone's pissy," Bryan said, watching as Axel started digging around in his trunk for a clean set of clothes. "You'd think getting laid would put you in a good mood."

Axel stopped digging for his clothes and turned to Bryan, glaring furiously.

"What do you know?" he hissed, color flooding his cheeks.

"Just saying." Bryan shrugged. "Besides, I think you two make a cute couple."

Axel huffed under his breath and went back to digging through his trunk. When he found what he needed, he rose and headed for the bathroom to shower, Bryan silently trailing behind him, as always.

Zexion and Demyx were waiting for Roxas when he returned to the dormitory. They sat together on Zexion's bed in close proximity to each other, but not close enough to attract attention to themselves.

"Well, I'm sure I don't need to ask about it. Your face tells me everything I need to know," Zexion said with a faint smile, heaving himself up from the bed.

His pregnancy was just beginning to show and soon, he would be forced to wear maternity clothes. He had braided his hair again, Roxas noticed. His hair was slightly damp, so he must have taken a shower and then braided his hair. He had been wearing his hair like that a lot lately, ever since he and Demyx had made up. Roxas turned to Demyx. He was grinning wickedly, as always, though today the grin seemed much more pronounced.

"The sex must have been great," Demyx said upon seeing Roxas's inquisitive glance. "'Cause you're blushing. Badly."

This caused Roxas to flush even more. Zexion rolled his eyes and smacked Demyx over the head.

"Oww, Cae, why'd you have to hit me so hard?" Demyx protested, rubbing his injured head.

"You deserved it, pervert," Zexion hissed.

"You're sooo mean," Demyx whined.

Zexion raised his hand again in warning. Demyx yelped and ducked his head. Roxas laughed. It was just like old times, back when Roxas had first arrived at The Institute, back before things became complicated.

With a sigh, Roxas gathered his things and headed off to take a shower. He was surprised when the guard who escorted him to the bathroom was none other than Zack.

"Hey," the young guard said with a friendly wave.

"Hey Zack," Roxas said, smiling. "Haven't seen you around lately."

"Oh, yeah," Zack replied vaguely. "I've been busy."

"Yeah?" Roxas asked, eyebrows raised. "So how is Cloud?"

"I…I don't know what you're talking about," Zack sputtered.

"Oh really?" Roxas smirked. "I think you know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't," Zack denied.

"Oh, drop the act," Roxas snapped. "I know you like my dad. I've seen the way you look at him and he at you. I know you're together."

Zack sighed. There was no use trying to hide it; Roxas was very perceptive.

"Yeah," he said reluctantly. "Your dad and I are…together. Well, as 'together' as we can be here. But we're trying to keep a secret, you know?"

"I'm not going to tell anyone if that's what you're implying," Roxas said coolly.

There was an awkward silence. They were almost to the bathroom when Zack finally asked, "Does it bother you? Me seeing your dad?"

Roxas gave him a funny look. "No. Not really. I mean it is a bit strange that you two are together since you're a guard and he's a Bearer, but I can tell that you make him happy."

"I see," Zack murmured. He cleared his throat nervously. "Well, I'll wait out here while you shower."

"All right," Roxas replied.

He headed into the bathroom and started his shower. He tensed as the hot spray hit his body. He ran his fingers through his long curls, trying to untangle them. He would need to cut his hair again soon; it was starting to get very long and unruly.

When he was sufficiently clean, Roxas switched off the shower and toweled himself dry. He dressed in a clean uniform and pressed his hand to his flat abdomen. If only he was carrying a child, that would be wonderful. Roxas allowed himself a small smile and removed his hand. He gathered his dirty clothes and returned to the dormitory. One day, perhaps he and Axel could have a family together, far away from The Institute.

If only.

Author's Notes

Sorry it's posted kinda late. I had a bad day.

The flashback was a bit different this time. I wanted to highlight the relationship between Axel and Reno a bit more and make it a bit clearer about the circumstances in which they met.

I couldn't resist that little scene between Bryan and Axel. It was really fun. And of course I couldn't resist the scene between Zexion and Demyx either. It was very fun to write and there needed to be a bit of humor, especially with what's coming.

And Zack just totally wrote himself into the scene again. He does that. Though it was kind of nice to give his relationship with Cloud a bit more of a definition.

The chapter ended up being a lot longer than I thought it'd be. I was afraid it wasn't going to be long enough, but it was fine.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Zexion sat in his morning lesson, trying to ignore the mild shooting pain in his back. He had been awake since about five that morning because of the pain, though he hadn't told anyone about it yet; he hadn't wanted to cause a fuss because the pain was probably was nothing. But now, the pain was slowly getting worse and it seemed to move to the front.

Zexion's eyes widened as he realized the date; the 22nd of June, his due date. His pregnancy had progressed with few problems and he had barely noticed the time pass by. Zexion rubbed his rounded belly absently, then groaned and doubled over as a wave of pain shot through him. The contraction ended and he was able to straighten up. The teacher droned on, apparently oblivious to Zexion's discomfort. Roxas and Demyx, however weren't as oblivious.

"Hey, you okay?" Demyx leaned over in his seat.

Zexion shook his head, unable to speak because he was in the midst of another contraction.

"What's wrong?" Roxas asked in a low voice.

"It…hurts," Zexion managed to get out.

Demyx didn't understand, but Roxas did. His eyes widened in shock.

"Mr. Walker, Zexion is in labor," he said loudly.

Mr. Walker finally stopped his lecture and stared at Zexion, Demyx, and Roxas, blinking owlishly. "What?"

"I said Zexion is in labor," Roxas repeated loudly.

The room was filled with hushed murmurs.

Mr. Walker turned to the guards. "One of you alert the medical facility. Now!"

One of the older guards nodded and hurried off. A few minutes later, two men from the medical facility arrived with a wheelchair. They helped Zexion in and pushed him towards the door.

"What…about my mate?" Zexion managed to get out.

"Don't worry," one of the men from the medical facility said soothingly. "He'll meet you there."

"Okay." Zexion nodded.

He allowed the men from the medical facility to wheel him out of the classroom. He barely noticed the journey down the hallways; he was too busy with the pain from his contractions, which were steadily getting worse. He doubled over in the wheelchair, trying to control his breathing.

At last, they arrived at the medical facility. Zexion was immediately taken into the back and dressed in a cotton gown. He was hooked up to several machines and left alone. That, didn't last long though; not five minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

"Zexion?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

"Yeah?" Zexion asked hoarsely.

"Your mate is here. Can we come in?" the voice replied.

"Uh…sure," Zexion said.

The door opened and Saïx was escorted in by a guard with wavy blonde hair and friendly hazel eyes.

"Can I trust you to behave for a moment while I go find you a chair to sit in?" the guard asked sternly.

Saïx scowled. "I'm not gonna do anything."

"You'd better not. The consequences will be severe," the guard said.

He strode out of the room. Zexion felt a huge wave of panic. Was this really happening? He couldn't believe it. The number one rule at The Institute was that the Breeders and Bearers were not allowed to be left alone in the same room as one another unless they were breeding. And even then, there were guards standing outside in case something bad happened. Now, they were completely alone.

Even worse, the baby Zexion was carrying was not Saïx's.

Zexion did not know if Saïx knew that he was not the father, but he had reason to believe that Saïx knew. The way he had reacted so unenthusiastically to the news that Zexion was pregnant made him believe that he knew. It could have been that Saïx had been so unenthusiastic about Zexion's pregnancy because it meant that Saïx wouldn't be able to have sex for at least nine months, but somehow, Zexion knew deep down that Saïx knew the baby wasn't his. Zexion knew that Saïx was perceptive. He must have realized that the dates did not match up, that Zexion's conception date was off by a month. Yes, there was no doubt in Zexion's mind that Saïx knew the baby wasn't his.

The real problem was that Zexion had no idea how Saïx would react. Right now, he seemed to be calm and collected, but that could change in an instant. His face was expressionless, impossible for Zexion to read. If he wanted to do something, he would find no difficulty in doing so. And that was what scared Zexion the most.

Yet the minutes ticked by and nothing happened. Saïx remained where he was, never making any sort of attempt to move closer to Zexion. He just stood near the doorway, looking at Zexion with that unreadable expression of his.

Zexion felt another contraction and groaned softly, closing his eyes as he was overcome with a wave of pain. Some of the machines he was hooked up to beeped erratically until the contraction ended. Zexion exhaled softly. That had been a particularly nasty contraction. He didn't open his eyes until he heard a loud slamming sound that caused him to jump. The young guard was back, carrying a large wooden chair.

"Sorry," the guard apologized. "I kind of smacked the chair into the wall when I was trying to bring it in."

"It's okay," Zexion whispered.

The guard brought the chair into the room and set it next to the bed. Without a word, Saïx walked forward and sat in the chair. He made no attempt to talk to Zexion or hold his hand or anything.

Zexion did not know how much time had passed before Dr. Vexen came in the check on him.

"Hello Zexion," Dr. Vexen said, closing the door behind him. "How are you doing?"

"O…okay." Zexion groaned as he felt another contraction start.

Something was different this time. Zexion suddenly felt like he couldn't breathe. He started gasping loudly, trying to fill his lungs with oxygen. A machine started beeping loudly. Dr. Vexen hurried forward and placed a plastic breathing mask over his nose and mouth.

"Easy there Zexion," Dr. Vexen murmured. "Relax and take deep breaths, okay?"

Zexion did as he was told. The oxygen made it easier for him to breathe and he relaxed. He tensed as he felt Dr. Vexen's fingers slide into him.

Dr. Vexen frowned. "Your contractions are strong and are starting to get closer together, but you are not dilated very far."

It was Saïx's turn to frown. "Is that bad?"

"It is a cause for concern, yes," Dr. Vexen said, withdrawing his fingers and stripping off his gloves. "But there's no need to panic. It just means that I need to keep a close eye on Zexion's progress."

"And...what if I don't progress like I should?" Zexion asked worriedly.

"Then we'll have to consider our other options," Dr. Vexen said grimly.

Zexion did not like the sound of that.

Author's Notes

It's short, I know. I had to split the chapter up into three parts because it was getting to be a bit too massive. I originally planned to only split the chapter into two, but the second chapter kept going and going and it was getting to be way too long and way too much info to handle at once, so I decided to split it in half again. Normally I wouldn't do this, but there was so many different things going on that I felt it would be best to split the chapter up.

As you can probably tell, this chapter takes a radical turn from the original. Events are happening out of order but there's a reason why and you'll see why later. The next chapter is a bit longer and things will start getting…shall we say…interesting. I don't want to say much more and ruin the surprise!


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Zack had been off-duty when he found out that Zexion had gone into labor. He had spent the night with Cloud and had not yet gotten up when Cloud delivered the news.

"What?" Zack asked, sitting up quickly.

"Zexion is in labor," Cloud repeated, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Fuck," Zack muttered.

"Yeah," Cloud agreed darkly. He was extremely pale in the fluorescent lights of the apartment. "Zack, what are we going to do?"

"I'm afraid there isn't much we can do," Zack said gently. "Roxas was a special case. We knew there was a chance he would survive childbirth. But Zexion isn't special. He's just a regular Bearer. So that means…"

"Zexion will die in childbirth," Cloud supplied dully. "Roxas will be devastated. Zexion is one of his best friends. They are so close."

"Yes…" Zack frowned as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Unless…"

"Unless…?" Cloud repeated.

Zack could not look Cloud in the eye as he replied, "There…may be a way to save Zexion. It's extremely risky and I'm not a hundred percent sure it will work, but it's worth a try."

He sprang up from the bed and started to gather his clothes scattered on the floor, his mind already made up. He would go see the man he knew could possibly save Zexion's life. As he had told Cloud, it was extremely risky and Zack wasn't a hundred percent certain it would work, but if anyone could save Zexion, it was this man.

Cloud watched him dress without a word, moving over from his seat on the edge of the bed so Zack had room to sit and pull his boots on.

"You're not going to tell me who this man is." It was not a question.

Zack shook his head. "It's too dangerous for you to get involved." He knew Cloud would protest so he hastily added, "I'm just trying to protect you.'

"I know," Cloud said softly.

Zack rose from the bed and headed for the bedroom door. He was surprised when he felt Cloud grab his arm and stopped walking. Cloud did not speak until Zack had turned around.

"Please be careful," Cloud whispered, holding onto Zack by his jacket. "Please come back to me. I could not bear to lose you too."

Zack smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

Cloud did not look reassured so Zack gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Then, he loosened Cloud's hands from his jacket and left the apartment. He made sure that he was not seen by anyone until he reached the guards' barracks.

Guards at The Institute were not required to live on the premises of The Institute though many of them did due to convenience. The guards were allowed to come and go as they pleased and it was not recorded who stayed where. Even better, no one paid attention to where the guards went when they were off-duty so Zack could see Cloud without anyone knowing, though he was still sure to take every precaution necessary to keep it a secret.

When Zack entered the guards' barracks, no one gave him a second glance even though he smelled of sweat and sex. He was grateful for this as he grabbed his things and headed for the community bathrooms.

He emerged twenty minutes later a lot cleaner. He patted his hair dry the best he could, threw the towel and his dirty clothes in his hamper, and straightened his uniform before grabbing his helmet and heading out.

The motorcycle he had received for his sixteenth birthday waited for him in the garage that was designated for the guards to use. Zack started the motorcycle and sped out of the garage.

The man Zack sought lived in the nearest town, which was still nearly an hour away. Zack drove as fast as he could without getting stopped by the Police Force. He arrived in the city in half the time and slowed down to the legal speed limit. He wove through the light traffic, heading for an apartment on the opposite side of town. He parked in the first space he found and dashed across the parking lot without bothering to remove his helmet. He took the stairs two at a time and didn't stop until he had reached the right apartment.

Zack took a deep breath and pulled off his helmet. He held it under his arm as he knocked on door 233. A few moments went by and then the door opened. A man with long rust-colored hair braided behind his back in a single plait peered out. Sharp blue eyes widened at the sight of Zack.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a low voice.

Zack pushed past him without speaking. He dropped his helmet on the threadbare couch next to the door and turned as he heard the sound of the front door closing. The apartment became dark at once; the curtains were drawn and all the lights were switched off.

"What are you doing here?" the man repeated.

"I know you're trying to keep a low profile and all, but can we please turn on a light or something?" Zack replied.

There was a short pause and then a sigh. "Fine."

A few moments later, the room was flooded with light. Zack blinked as he waited for his eyes to adjust. His gaze immediately fell on the man standing near the door. He was still young, around his age, if Zack remembered correctly, yet his face showed signs of hardship. He was lean with hardly any muscle, and he showed signs that he had lost a lot of weight recently. There was a thin scar above his eyebrow and another on his left cheek, both long faded to white. He wore a black tank top and sweatpants that hung loosely off his body.

"So what are you doing here?" the man asked irritably.

"We need to talk," Zack answered. "It's important."

The man snorted. "Well, obviously. Otherwise, you wouldn't have barged into my apartment like this. So what's the big emergency?"

"A Bearer went into labor," Zack said.

"Really?" the man asked, incredulous. "That's why you're here?"

"I want you to save him. I know you can," Zack said.

The man shook his head. "It's way too risky and there's no guarantee that it'll work. I'm sorry. I can't do it. I can't risk everything for the life of a single Bearer because you don't want him to die."

"I'm not doing this for me! I'm doing this for Roxas!" Zack exploded. "His closest friend is going to die! Do you know how devastated Roxas will be if his friend, one of his only friends at that horrible place dies?"

The man stared at him. "So that's why you came."

"Yes," Zack whispered. "I know it's risky, but we can't lose Zexion. Without him, Roxas will fall apart. He may have Demyx too, but Zexion is really his main support system." The man scoffed softly. "Please. He's like my son. I'll give anything to keep him from feeling the sorrow of losing his closest friend."

"All right," the man finally agreed. "I'll do it."

"Thank you," Zack whispered. "Thank you so much."

"Yeah, yeah." The corners of the man's lips twisted up into a faint smile. "But you'll owe me."

"Of course," Zack said. "We can work that out later. But right now, we need to focus on the task at hand. We have to act fast. I don't know how much time we have before the baby is born."

"Can you find out?" The man asked.

Zack nodded. "I'll call my partner at The Institute and try to find out how far Zexion's labor has progressed."

"Zexion?" The man frowned. "Which one is that again?"

"He's the one who's mated to Saïx," Zack answered. "He's the more level-headed of Roxas's two friends, very down-to earth. He has very long dark hair…"

"Oh yeah." The man smiled as he remembered the boy from the pictures he had been given. "The other one…Demyx, right?"

"Yeah." Zack nodded. "Hotheaded, outgoing, stubborn, lot like you, really."

The man snorted and crossed his arms at this. "All right. So while you contact your people, I'll contact mine."

"Deal," Zack said.

The man disappeared into the only bedroom in the apartment. Zack pulled out his cell phone from within his jacket and sank down on the couch next to his motorcycle helmet. His fingers shook slightly as he dialed Vance's number and waited for him to pick up.

"Hello?" Vance finally answered.

"Yo. It's me," Zack said.

"Hey. What's up?" Vance replied.

"I need you to do a favor for me," Zack said. "Can you find out how far Zexion's labor has progressed?"

"Uh, yeah," Vance answered. "Sure."

"And make sure you're discreet," Zack warned.

"I know." Vance grunted. "Look, I'll call you back when I find out, all right?"

"Yeah," Zack said.

He hung up and stuck his cell phone back in his jacket. Then, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, waiting. Oh, how he hated waiting more than anything else in the world! He was not a very patient person and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't be one. He would never have patience, not like Cloud, who was probably the most patient person Zack had ever met. There was little that set Cloud off. The only time he had seen Cloud really lose his patience was after he had found out that Roxas was ill.

Zack's cell phone suddenly rang, jolting him out of his thoughts. He fumbled in his jacket for his phone.

"Hello?" he answered, nearly dropping the stupid thing.

"It's me." Vance's voice crackled over the other line. "I've got the info you wanted."

"All right. Awesome," Zack said.

"Zexion's labor is progressing very slowly," Vance began. "He's only dilated a couple centimeters and it's been a couple hours since the labor began. Dr. Vexen is very concerned, naturally."

"Has he decided on a course of action yet?" Zack answered.

"No, not at the moment," Vance answered.

"Damn," Zack muttered.

"But I can tell you what his most likely course of action will be," Vance said.

Zack brightened at this. "Really?"

"Yeah," Vance responded confidently. "I'm almost a hundred percent certain that if Zexion's labor doesn't progress soon, he'll induce the labor. And if that doesn't work, if he's really desperate, he'll do a C-section."

"All right. Thanks," Zack said.

"No problem. I'll let you know if anything changes," Vance replied.

"Awesome. See you later," Zack said.

"Bye!" Vance chirped.

Zack shut his phone and stored it in his jacket again. He looked up and yelped; the man was standing in front of him, now wearing a black jacket and black pants.

"Jeez!" he cried, jumping in his seat. "You scared the shit out of me! I didn't even hear you come out of the bedroom. How did you did that?"

The man grinned cockily. "It's just one of my many talents."

Zack had to roll his eyes good-naturedly at this. The man was extremely cocky, yes, but he had reason to boast; Zack had seen some of what he was capable of and his skills were incredible.

"I got the info," Zack said, rapidly changing the subject. "Zexion's labor is progressing slowly. He's only a couple centimeters dilated and he's been in labor since this morning."

The man glanced at his watch. "That's not very much progress."

"No," Zack agreed.

"Well, that's good for us," the man said. "This gives us enough time to act."

"Right." Zack nodded. "Just tell me what I need to do to help."

The man blew air through his teeth. "It's gonna be a bitch to get in without being seen, but I think we can pull it off. I've studied the blueprints of The Institute thoroughly since I've gone into hiding, so I know the building well…though probably not as good as you."

"Maybe." Zack shrugged.

"Anyway, it seems to me that the easiest point to penetrate the perimeter is through the service tunnels," the man continued. "What do you think?"

"I agree," Zack said. "The service tunnels are the best way to penetrate the perimeter. They're hardly used because they're a pain in the ass to navigate, but I know them well. To get to them requires a little more finesse. The best way I think would to be to access them via the loading docks."

"Right." The man nodded. "I've already talked to my people and they're going to get a vehicle used for smuggling and dress it up like a delivery truck so I can be smuggled in. I've got a couple guys that I trust to drive the truck in."

"What are these guys like?" Zack asked.

"The two guys I've picked are both young men our age, of good family but not well-known in the social circles. Both well-brought up, both college educated. No prior criminal activity for either of them. Neither of them are very remarkable looking, they blend in with everyone else and know how to blend in. They won't stand out at all," the man answered.

"In other words, they're the perfect candidates to pull this off," Zack said.

"Yep," the man replied. "I figure I'll be smuggled somewhere in the truck that's making the delivery. It'll be a legitimate delivery—my people are working on that. As soon as it's safe, I'll come out and sneak into the medical facility. I'll be going in blind, so I'll need you to show me the way."

Zack nodded. "That's feasible. What about the drug?"

"I'll smuggle it on my person," the man replied. "It's small enough to do so." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a capped syringe that held an opaque liquid. "This is the drug in question. As you know, it's something I've helped to develop in the past couple years. It hasn't ever been tested on a human so I don't know for sure if it'll work the way it's intended or if there will be any sort of side effects associated with it."

"That's a risk we have to take," Zack said softly.

"I know," the man replied seriously. "Now, if something should happen to me…"

"Don't say that," Zack pleaded anxiously. "Nothing will happen."

"We both know that things don't always go the way we plan and we need to plan for that," the man said. "In the event that something happens to me, it'll be up to you to get the drug delivered."

"Okay," Zack said, hoping it didn't have to come to that.

"It's actually very easy to deliver the drug," the man began. "You take the cap off the end and there's a needle attached to the end. You need to gently flick the syringe with your fingernail to sort of stir it up. Then you need to inject the drug into his IV bag. You'll see where you need to stick the needle; it's not hard to find. When you inject the drug into the bag, make sure to inject it slowly. Don't inject it all at once."

"Got it," Zack said.

The man smiled at him. "Don't worry. Chances are you'll never have to do this, but I just wanted to be prepared with a Plan B."

"I know." Zack cleared his throat nervously. "So, is everything ready?"

"Pretty much," the man replied. "I'm just waiting for a confirmation call from one of my guys." As soon as he said this his phone rang. "Speak of the devil. Hello?" he listened to whoever was on the other line. "Yeah. Yeah. Excellent. All right. Bye." Just like that, the phone conversation was over. "We're good to go."

"Excellent." Zack grinned. "So I'll meet you at The Institute?"

"Yeah," the man said. "You won't draw attention to yourself that way."

"All right. See you there," Zack replied.

"Bye," the man said quietly.

Author's Notes

This was originally part of Chapter 22, but I needed to split it up because it was getting way too long. Zack wanted more time in the spotlight, and I was very happy to oblige. He's very fun to write.

The mystery deepens. ^^ I'm not really sure what else I can say about the chapter aside from the fact that it appears that Zack and Vance are working together. When did that happen? Ah well, it actually doesn't really surprise me.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Zack made it back to The Institute in record time. He parked his motorcycle in its usual place and left his helmet on the seat. He wasn't worried that it would be stolen; The Institute was very selective about the people it hired and all the employees had undergone extensive background checks prior to being hired. So far, he had not had a problem with theft and he did not think there ever would be a problem. He hurried down the hallway, toward the loading docks.

The loading docks at The Institute were located underground. It was believed that it was more secure this way and Zack had to agree with that logic. Trucks bringing in a delivery were stopped at a gate above ground and carefully inspected before being allowed to enter the loading docks. Once there, the trucks unloaded their cargo and then were inspected again before being allowed to depart.

Deliveries were made at all times of day so Zack was not surprised to see the loading docks filled with trucks and vans even though it was mid-afternoon. He hung back in the shadows, waiting. He had been on the loading docks rotations many times before and it was one of his favorite rotations because he always met really interesting people.

He waited for a long time, watching the loading docks workers unloading the trucks and vans and guards carefully inspecting them before they left. A movement caught his attention. It was slight, but he noticed it all the same. He slipped through the shadows and made his way over to one of the trucks.

He bent over under the pretext of checking the cargo and whispered, "It's me."

There was a pause and then the man responded from the interior, "Okay."

"Hold on a sec." Zack hastily looked around and made sure everyone was occupied. "All right. We're clear."

There was a shifting sound from within the truck and the man emerged. He glanced around and then pulled up his hood to conceal his face.

"Let's go," he said.

"This way," Zack said. "Stay close."

He led the man out of the loading docks, through the service tunnels. They moved slowly, carefully, making sure they were seen by no one. When they arrived at the medical facility, Zack brought the man to a hidden corridor.

"Stay here, all right?" he said in a low voice. "I'm gonna make sure it's clear before I bring you to where Zexion is."

The man nodded and leaned against the wall, hands shoved into his pockets. He did not know how much time had passed when Zack returned.

"We're clear. My partner is distracting Zexion's mate and Dr. Vexen is not scheduled to check on Zexion for at least an hour. Will that be enough time?" Zack said.

"Hopefully," the man replied. "We'll find out."

Zack led him down the hallways that all looked the same and then stopped in front of a plan-looking door.

"Zexion is in here," Zack lowered his voice to a whisper. "And he's sleeping."

"Good," the man replied.

He opened the door and slipped in. The room was dark, but it wasn't impossible for the man to see. He moved as quietly as he could across the room and looked down at the bed's occupant. The boy—Zexion was his name looked awful. The most striking thing about him that the man noticed right away was his age. If he remembered correctly, Zack had said that Zexion was a year older than Roxas, putting him at only sixteen years old. A plastic breathing mask covered his nose and mouth. His breath clouded the inside of the mask, condensing on the plastic. Long dark hair drenched in sweat framed an extremely pale, haggard face.

The man stepped forward and pulled out the capped syringe he had showed Zack back at his apartment. He removed the cap, revealing a needle attached to the end. He gently flicked the syringe tube with his fingernail to stir up the liquid and then carefully injected the drug into Zexion's IV bag. Then, he removed the needle, replaced the cap, and stuck the now-empty syringe back into his jacket pocket.

He was just starting to walk away when a raspy, weak voice called out, "Who…who are you?"

The man froze in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around and faced a pair of aquamarine eyes glazed with fever. He let out a quiet sigh.

"I am…a friend," he said.

"Why…why are you here?" Zexion whispered.

"I was just checking on you," the man answered.

"Why?" Zexion persisted.

"That's not important," the man said impatiently. "Right now, you need to focus conserving energy and having that baby. All right?"

"Okay." Zexion smiled weakly.

He closed his eyes and fell back to sleep. The man smiled at him and then slipped out of the room, leaving no trace that he had ever been there.

Zexion was no longer sure if he was awake or dreaming; the pain he felt from his labor caused a fogginess in his brain that made it impossible for him to discern what was reality and what was not. He was awake, but it felt like he was dreaming or he dreaming and he felt like he was awake. He wasn't quite sure which it was.

He was vaguely aware of Saïx leaving at one point, escorted by a guard, but he did not know why. At another point, he was aware of a strange man in the room, wearing dark clothes and a hood to conceal his face. He put something in Zexion's IV bag, he was sure of it, though how he knew the man was real and not just a hallucination, he wasn't sure. He vaguely remembered the man telling him he was a friend and to conserve his energy so he could have his baby and obeying the man.

The next time Zexion was roused by Dr. Vexen, who had come to check on him, the man was gone and Saïx and the guard escorting him were back in their rightful places, and it was like they had never left to begin with. Zexion did not dare ask them if they had left. Instead, he focused on what Dr. Vexen was telling him.

"…looks as though…push," he said.

"Did you hear him, Zexion?" Saïx asked. Zexion shook his head. Saïx rolled his eyes. "He said you're ready to push."

"Oh," Zexion said.

Equipment was brought into the room and Zexion was helped into a sitting position by a couple of nurses, his legs spread apart.

"All right, Zexion. Start pushing," Dr. Vexen ordered.

Zexion heaved himself up and started pushing. He was met by a huge wave of pain and resisted the urge to scream. He clenched his teeth tightly together and focused on Dr. Vexen counting. When Dr. Vexen reached ten, Zexion was allowed to have a quick break before starting to push again. He groaned in pain and bit back the urge to scream. The pain was intense. He leaned against the pillows that had been placed behind him to help prop him up and tried to catch his breath. Even with the breathing mask over his nose and mouth it was hard to breathe. Tears slid down his face, mingling with beads of sweat. He lifted his head and started pushing again. He finally gave into his urge and let out a low scream.

"Come on Zexion, push!" Dr. Vexen encouraged.

Zexion pushed with all his might. He screamed again and let go, everything going dark.

"Zexion!" a voice called, seemingly far away.

A hand gently shook his chest. His eyes fluttered open. Everything was blurry.

"No sleeping yet, you hear me?" the voice said anxiously.

"But I'm so sleepy," Zexion mumbled.

"I know, but you've gotta stay awake a little longer, all right?" the voice said.

"Okay," Zexion whispered.

"Give me one more big push Zexion, okay?" Dr. Vexen asked. "You're almost there."

Zexion took a deep breath and gathered what little strength he had left. He released all that strength, pushing as hard as he could. He heard a baby wailing, but his strength was gone. He collapsed, his world fading to black.

Slowly, the blackness faded into grey, and then into white. Zexion was aware of several things at once. Someone had shifted his position so he was laying down and covered him with a blanket. A heart monitor beeped softly in the background. There was a shifting sound next to him, like someone was moving.

"Zexion?" a voice asked softly.

Zexion blinked to clear his vision. Saïx stared at him anxiously, his face extremely pale.

"S…Saïx?" he managed to get out.

"How are you feeling?" Saïx asked.

Zexion was startled at Saïx's sudden interest in his health. "What happened? The baby…?"

"He's fine," Saïx said soothingly. There was a brief pause. Then, "What is the child's name?"

"R…Rian," Zexion whispered.

"What about his middle name?" Saïx asked.

"Blake," Zexion answered.

"All right," Saïx said stiffly.

"Saïx, what's wrong?" Zexion asked, anxiety creeping into his voice. "What's wrong?"

"See for yourself," Saïx answered.

He got up and walked across the room. When he returned a few moments later, he carried a bundle in his arms. He did not hand it over to Zexion, though he lowered it so Zexion could see.

Within the folds of the blanket was Zexion's son, fast asleep. Saïx reached up and gently stroked the baby's cheek. Rian yawned and opened his eyes. Zexion felt his breath leave him in that instant.

Rian had Demyx's sea green eyes.

"Oh no," Zexion whispered.

"Yeah," Saïx said grimly.

"Do they…know? Zexion asked.

"Your lover is safe for now," Saïx said. "But it will not remain that way for long. Dr. Vexen is doing a paternity test to prove that I am not the father and when those test results come back, they're gonna pressure you to reveal who your lover is."

"What do I do?" Zexion whispered.

Saïx shook his head. "I don't know."

There was a loud commotion outside and then the door slammed open, causing Zexion to jump. Director Xemnas strode in, looking livid.

"Explain yourself!" he shouted at Zexion. "What is the meaning of this?" he brandished a sheet of paper at him, which Zexion suspected were the results of the paternity test. Zexion did not answer. "Answer me!"

In Saïx's arms, Rian began to cry.

"Here, give him to me," Dr. Vexen said quietly from the door.

He walked forward and took Rian from Saïx's arms.

"W…wait," Zexion protested, trying to sit up. "Don't hurt him, okay? Please don't hurt him."

"Tell me who the father is," Director Xemnas demanded.

"Don't hurt my son!" Zexion pleaded. "Please don't punish him for my actions."

"Then tell me who the father is!" Director Xemnas yelled.

Tears streaked down Zexion's face. "Demyx. Demyx is the father."

Director Xemnas turned to a guard standing in the corner. "Fetch Demyx and bring him to my office right away. Bring Roxas as well."

"Yes sir." The guard saluted and left.

Director Xemnas turned to Dr. Vexen, who had managed to get Rian to stop crying at last. "Get everything necessary to do another paternity test and bring it to my office."

Dr. Vexen nodded and hurried off, carrying Rian with him. Zexion slumped back against his pillows and sighed.

"I expect to see you in my office too," Director Xemnas told him severely. To Saïx, he said, "And you."

"Yes sir," Saïx responded.

He gave Zexion a long searching look before leaving.

Roxas woke to the sound of a loud commotion coming from outside the Bearers' dormitory. Moments later he heard the door slam open and loud footsteps crossing the floor.

"Get up," a voice commanded.

"What's going on?" Roxas asked sleepily.

Someone grabbed him by the arm and forced him out of bed. It was a guard. There were several more guards surrounding Demyx's bunk. Roxas felt a stab of fear. If they wanted Demyx too, that meant they had found out about his affair with Zexion.

"Let's go," the guard snarled, pulling on Roxas's arm.

He stumbled, caught off-guard. The guard did not seem to notice. He pulled on Roxas's arm again, forcing him to start walking. Roxas turned and watched as several guards forcefully extracted Demyx from his bunk. Another guard took Roxas's other arm and forced him to keep moving.

They walked down the hall like that; Roxas pinned between the pair of guards, forced to keep moving. He could hear Demyx behind him, yelling and cursing at the top of his lungs. Roxas remained silent, too petrified to speak.

When they arrived in Director Xemnas's office, Roxas gave a startled cry; Zexion was kneeling on the ground, his head lowered, his breathing ragged. Roxas tried to free himself from the guards' grip so he could run over to Zexion, but the guards held onto him tightly.

"Let me go! Let me go!" he cried, still struggling.

"Let him go," Director Xemnas ordered from behind his desk.

The guards let go of Roxas. He raced over to Zexion and kneeled down beside him.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

Zexion looked up at him, face haggard. "I'm fine."

"You look awful," Roxas whispered.

Zexion smiled grimly. "I just gave birth. Of course I look like shit."

He looked up as Demyx was brought forward, still surrounded by guards. Neither of them spoke, but they looked at each other intently and a sort of silent understanding passed between them. Demyx smiled crookedly. Zexion's eyes filled with tears and he lowered his head again.

"Demyx," Director Xemnas said loudly. "Are you aware of why you have been brought here tonight?"

"Uh…" Demyx quickly glanced at Zexion and Roxas on the ground, then looked back at Director Xemnas. "No?"

"No?" Director Xemnas asked, surprised. "Are you aware that Saïx is not the father of Zexion's child?"

"Uh, no." Demyx shook his head. "Exactly where are you going with this?"

"I think you know," Director Xemnas said.

"Maybe." Demyx shrugged.

"It might interest you to know that Zexion has told us that _you_ are his lover. What do you say to that?"

Demyx glanced at Zexion, who let out a muffled sob. "I say I think you already know."

"Very well," Director Xemnas said. "Will you agree to a paternity test for confirmation?"

"Yes," Demyx replied.

Director Xemnas turned to one of the guards escorting Demyx. "Go fetch Dr. Vexen. He should be right outside."

Wordlessly, the guard nodded and left with a salute. A few moments later, he returned with Dr. Vexen.

"Dr. Vexen, if you please…?" Director Xemnas gestured to Demyx.

"Yes, of course," Dr. Vexen responded. He rushed forward and took a swab of Demyx's mouth. "I should have the results in a couple hours."

"All right. Thank you," Director Xemnas replied. "I have already spoken to Saïx about the current situation and gotten his side of the story. Now it's your turn to tell your side. I have already spoken to Zexion and he has refused to say a word." At this, Demyx threw another glance at Zexion, huddled miserably on the ground. "I'll start with you, Roxas. Is there anything you would like to say?"

Roxas looked up at Director Xemnas, strangely serene. "No. I have nothing to say."

"Really?" Director Xemnas asked. "You are their best friend. Surely you must have known that something was going on between them?"

"If I did, I would never tell you," Roxas answered.

"Oh?" Director Xemnas raised his eyebrows in interest. "Why not?

"Because I am their friend and friends don't tell." Roxas gazed levelly at Director Xemnas.

"So you did know something was going on," Director Xemnas stated.

Roxas shrugged. "Perhaps, but perhaps not."

"Are you aware that you face punishment if you refuse to cooperate?" Director Xemnas asked.

"Yes," Roxas answered calmly.

"And you still refuse to cooperate?" Director Xemnas asked.

"Yes," Roxas whispered.

"Very well. You leave me no choice," Director Xemnas said. He turned to the guards. "Arrest him and detain him in confinement area."

"NO!" Zexion screamed as the guards stepped forward.

Roxas calmly rose and walked forward to meet the guards. He did not resist as the guards handcuffed him.

"No," Zexion whimpered as Roxas was led to the door.

Roxas stopped walking and turned to Zexion, smiling serenely. "It's all right, Zexion. I am not afraid."

Then, he was gone. There was a long silent in the room, punctured only by Zexion's quiet sobs.

Then, Director Xemnas asked, "Demyx, is there anything you would like to say?"

Demyx was strangely calm as he stared Director Xemnas down. Zexion expected him to lash out at Director Xemnas, lose his temper, like he always did, but nothing happened. He just stood there, calmly gazing at Director Xemnas.

"I have nothing to say," he simply said.

"Very well." Director Xemnas gestured to the guards who handcuffed Demyx and led him out. "And now we come to you again, Zexion. Are you still going to say nothing?"

"Yes," Zexion whispered, lifting his tear-stained face to stare at Director Xemnas at last.

"Very well. Take him away!" Director Xemnas ordered.

"Wait!" a voice unexpectedly called out.

Zexion was startled to see Dr. Vexen hurry forward.

"What is it?" Director Xemnas demanded, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

"Uh, sir, I think it would be best if Zexion were to return to the medical facility," Dr. Vexen said, wringing his hands nervously.

"Explain," Director Xemnas commanded, causing Dr. Vexen to flinch.

"Well…" Dr. Vexen refused to meet Director Xemnas's gaze. "As you know, we have had a…er…problem with Bearers surviving childbirth. And, as I have already discussed with you in detail, there is only one who would survive. Yet here Zexion is still alive.

"I have no explanation for it at the moment. I need to do some more tests to try and determine why he was able to survive. Also, as you can see, he is currently in poor health and it would be ill-advised for him to be put in confinement—it would be very detrimental to his health. We want him alive. No, we _need _him alive."

"Very well," Director Xemnas said through clenched teeth. "Keep him confined in the medical facility then. He's not to have any visitors while being treated and he will have a contingent of guards with him at all times. Is that clear?"

"Yes Director Xemnas," Dr. Vexen said meekly.

Director Xemnas turned to the remaining guards in the room. "Help Zexion to the medical facility and remain with him until you are relieved."

Zexion was forced to his feet by several guards. He leaned heavily on them, unable to stand on his own. The room swirled around him, then blurred. He fell to his knees, his legs giving out from under him. In the distance, someone called his name in alarm. Then, everything went dark.

Author's Notes

Oh. My. Lord. I never thought this chapter would end. It just kept going and going and I had to split it into three parts. Otherwise, it would have been over 7,000 words and I felt like that was a little too much to handle at once, especially with all the information presented.

You didn't really think I would kill Zexion, did you?

Zexion:…yes

I had a bit of trouble figuring out how our mysterious man would sneak into The Institute, but I worked through the problem with help from some of my writer friends.

Things turned out way differently this time. That being said, Roxas, what are you doing?! Also, I'm sorry it's posted so late. I went to my uncle's house to make centerpieces for his wedding with his fiancée and I totally forgot it was Friday. My bad. -_-


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Roxas's heart pounded in his chest as the guards led him down the hallway. He tried to keep a calm exterior, though it was so difficult for him to do. He could not believe he had just done that. But he hadn't been able to bring himself to tell Director Xemnas the truth about Zexion and Demyx. He couldn't betray his friends.

Seeing Zexion on the ground like that, seeing him look so broken caused Roxas to feel an anger he hadn't felt since…well since Zexion and Demyx were fighting. Part of him really hated Director Xemnas for treating Zexion like dirt, for causing him so much pain. Zexion had betrayed his mate, yes, but Saïx was a cold, heartless bastard, even worse than Axel. Roxas had not thought there was a person colder and more heartless than Axel, but that was before he had found out about Saïx.

Zexion had tried to hide it at first, but Roxas knew. He saw the bruises Zexion acquired after he mated with Saïx. He saw how scared Zexion was when his heat came, the distress he was in after it was over. Most of all, he saw Demyx's barely-concealed anger after Zexion came back from the Breeding Rooms covered in bruises and on the verge of tears. Roxas never said anything about it; he was much too polite to bring it up when he knew it would just distress Zexion even more.

Roxas was put in one of the confinement rooms, one that was very similar to the one he had shared with Axel all those years ago. It all seemed so far away now, just a distant memory.

The guards removed his handcuffs and shut him in so he was consumed by total darkness. With a quiet sigh, Roxas made his way over to the bed and laid down.

A while later, he heard a set of keys jingling and the door slid open with a loud, creaky groan. A light was shone in his eyes, causing him to flinch. There were footsteps across the floor and Zack's face appeared, illuminated by the light from the partially open door and the flashlight he carried. He looked angrier than Roxas had ever seen before.

"You…are…an…idiot." The words were ground out one at a time in a hoarse whisper. "Do you know how stupid that was, refusing to talk? Now you're gonna be in serious trouble along with those two."

"What was I supposed to do, Zack? Betray my two best friends? Leave them to the wolves so they can be condemned because of their actions? At least this way they won't be alone."

"Do you know what this means?" Zack asked hotly. Roxas shook his head. "By refusing to cooperate, you implicate yourself! They'll think you had something to do with the affair and willingly helped them break the rules. Your punishment may be just as severe, depending on how lenient the High Council is willing to be."

"I don't care," Roxas said stubbornly.

"You should," Zack hissed. "Especially if the High Council decides that it's in their best interest to have you executed."

This seemed to get Roxas's attention. "E…executed?"

"Yeah," Zack said grimly. "It's not likely, but it's something you should keep in mind."

Roxas seemed to mull this over. At last, he said, "I…I don't know what I should do, Zack." His voice waivered. "I don't want to betray Zexion and Demyx, but I…"

Zack seemed to understand. "I know. I…look I can't promise anything, but I can try to see if I can make sure the High Council is lenient. Only…" he looked around as though he was afraid someone was listening. "Look, I can help you and your friends, but you can't tell anyone about it, okay?"

Roxas nodded. Zack turned toward the door.

"Is…?" Roxas called out, causing Zack to stop walking and turn around. "Is something going on?"

"Now why would you say that?" Zack asked, puzzled.

"I…" Roxas looked hesitant to speak.

Zack threw a glance at the open door before walking back over to Roxas, crouching down so his face was level with Roxas's.

"What is it, Roxas?" he asked softly. "You can trust me."

"When I was in the medical facility, you know…having the twins, I overheard Dr. Vexen talking about me," Roxas whispered. "He said…he said that I might hold the key to their little problem with the Bearers."

Zack's breath caught in his throat and he struggled to remain calm. "I see."

"Do you know what he's talking about?" Roxas asked.

Zack knew he had to lie, but he wasn't sure how successful he'd be. Roxas was very perceptive. He had been able to tell that Zack was lying when he denied that he was in a relationship with Cloud. Would he be able to tell now that Zack was lying? Zack took in a deep breath. This was for his own good. It was best that Roxas was kept in the dark, for now at least. There may be a time when it was all right for Roxas to know the whole truth, but it wasn't now.

Zack sighed and ran his fingers through his short hair. "I can't tell ya, Roxas."

"You can't tell me because you don't know, or you can't tell me because you know but for some reason must refrain from telling me?" Roxas asked.

Damn. Zack winced. That was exactly the method Cloud used when he wanted to wheedle information out of Zack. And Roxas looked remarkably like Cloud right now.

"Uh…" he was at a loss for words.

"If you aren't allowed to tell me, fine," Roxas continued. "I guess I understand. It's just that I trust you so why don't you trust me?"

Zack swore under his breath. He was getting absolutely nowhere with Roxas and he was wasting valuable time, time that could be spent planning a way to prevent a disaster. He tried to take several deep breaths to calm himself down, but it wasn't working; he could feel his temper bubbling up to the surface. He gritted his teeth, determined to not lose his temper in front of Roxas.

"I can't do this right now," he finally said. "I've gotta leave or I'm gonna lose my temper. And I cannot lose my temper right now."

Without waiting for a response from Roxas, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him a little louder than he intended, but he couldn't bring himself to care right now. He was inches away from falling apart and it would take a lot of effort to keep himself together.

By the time Zack was on the road, heading for the man's apartment at 90 miles an hour, he was starting to feel better. The adrenaline from driving at such a high speed sharpened his focus and helped relieve some of the anger and frustration he was feeling. He wove in and out of traffic, grateful for the distraction. He had called the man to let him know ahead of time that he was coming, though he refused to say why over an open line. The man understood. They couldn't take any risks of being eavesdropped on. It was very unlikely that anyone had caught on, but they were being cautious all the same.

Zack shifted impatiently on his feet, waiting for the man to let him in. At last the man opened the door and Zack burst in.

"We got a major problem," he said unceremoniously dropping his helmet on the couch.

"What now?" the man asked. "Please don't tell me the drug failed."

"Oh no. The drug worked perfectly," Zack answered.

"Good," the man said.

"The problem is that that idiot Demyx got Zexion pregnant and had the unfortunate luck of genetics," Zack continued as though he had not been interrupted.

The man looked at him blankly.

"The baby looks like Demyx." Zack waved his hand impatiently. "Enough like him that Director Xemnas found out."

"Oh," the man said. "Oops."

Zack snorted. "No kidding. That's not the half of it. Roxas decided to be an uncooperative, stubborn little brat and pissed Director Xemnas off. Now he's under arrest and faces charges."

"Damn," the man muttered.

"I think I convinced him to talk, but he's still gonna be charged with something like obstruction of justice or something like that," Zack said. "Either way, he's gotten himself involved in this mess. And, he knows something's up."

"What do you mean?" the man asked.

"He overheard Dr. Vexen talking about him possibly being the key to their little problem with the Bearers," Zack answered.

"Damn it, Zack, I thought I made it clear that Roxas wasn't supposed to know anything about that!" the man snapped.

"You think it's my fault?" Zack hissed. "I can't control everything at The Institute, especially that incompetent moron Dr. Vexen who can't seem to keep his mouth shut if his life depended on it."

The man sighed. "I guess you're right. Fuck, what are we gonna do about that?"

"We can worry about that later," Zack said. "Right now, we've gotta focus on keeping Roxas and his friends alive."

"Agreed." The man nodded.

He fell silent, his gaze distant. Zack could tell that he was thinking, formulating a plan to get them out of this mess. Suddenly, the man's eyes widened in shock, a look of dawning comprehension crossing his face.

"You have something?" Zack asked.

"Maybe," the man said vaguely. "It's extremely risky. And complicated. But I might just be able to pull it off."

"Well, let's hear it," Zack demanded.

"Okay…" the man said slowly. "I think the time has come to move our plans forward."

Zack's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

The man nodded gravely. "Yes. We must infiltrate the High Council."

They had talked about this before though they had both agreed that the time was not right. Their plan came with a lot of risks and they had to be absolutely sure they could pull it off successfully. And even then, there was no guarantee that they wouldn't be caught.

"Are you…are you sure?" Zack whispered.

The man nodded. "It's time."

Zack nodded swallowing hard. "All right. I'll let my partner know."

"And I'll let my people know," the man said. He suddenly grinned maliciously. "Things are about to get real interesting."

Zack nodded, silently hoping they weren't about to get everyone killed.

By dusk, their entire team had assembled in the man's living room. Most of them were associates of the man, so Zack only vaguely knew who they were. There was a mixture of men and woman, mostly around their age, though there were a few who weren't. Once everyone was settled, the man brought the room to order. Zack noticed that he had pulled his hood up to conceal his identity once more.

"I think you all know why we're here," the man said. There was a murmur of assent from everyone in the room. "I'm just gonna cut to the chase here. It's time for us to take action. It's extremely risky, but I'm confident that we can pull it off. It's time to infiltrate the High Council.

"As you know, in order to pull this off, we need to replace one of the High Council members with one of our own people. That man will be me." He paused for a moment, allowing that to sink in. "We have concluded that the best way to accomplish this is to assassinate the target and for me to assume his identity. Luckily, the High Council requires its members to remain anonymous so they don't actually know our target aside from his name. Nor do they know what he looks like, which is the most important thing. That being said, we're still taking every precaution necessary to ensure I don't raise suspicions. I will disguise myself the best I can. Our first objective, however, is to take out the target. Elena has agreed to lead that operation." The man gestured to a young blonde woman in the corner. "Maybe you would like to take the floor now?"

Elena nodded and stepped forward. Zack would have found her pretty, if he swung that way. Zack tuned her out while she talked; he already knew he wasn't going to be on that mission so it was really pointless for him to listen. Instead, he watched the man, who stood off to the side, listening intently. When the meeting ended, he remained where he was until everyone had gone. Only then did he straighten up and turn to Zack.

"Well, it gets a bit boring now," he said apologetically. "Nothin' more to do until we get the call telling us we're clear to proceed."

Zack shrugged. "It's all right. I figured there'd be a lull in the action. Mind if I crash on your couch for a while?"

"Nah." The man shook his head. "Probably a good idea to get some sleep while you can. I'll let you know if anything changes."

"Appreciate it," Zack said.

He removed his boots and jacket and stretched out on the couch. Within moments, he was asleep.

Zack did not know how long he had slept when he felt the man gently shaking him.

"Wha?" he asked groggily.

"Just got the call," the man replied at a whisper. "We're good to go."

Zack was up at once. He fumbled for his boots and hastily pulled them on. He left his jacket on the couch with his motorcycle helmet. He followed the man into the bedroom, where several of the man's friends were setting up various items.

"We good?" the man asked.

A younger man with mouse brown hair and hazel eyes nodded. His companion, a man with blonde hair and midnight blue eyes eyed Zack warily.

"He's cool," the man said. "This is Zack. He's keeping an eye on things at The Institute. Zack, meet Hunter…" he gestured to the brown-haired man. "And Alex." He gestured to the blonde. "They're makeup artists and are quite good at creating disguises to help people blend in with their surroundings."

"We should probably get started," Hunter said.

"Right." The man nodded. "Remember, you can't tell _anyone_ what you see here, got it?"

"Yes," Hunter said.

"Got it." Alex looked vaguely annoyed. "So what's the big secret? What could you possibly gain by hiding your face?"

"You will understand in a moment," the man said.

He reached up and pushed his hood back. Zack quickly looked away. Hunter and Alex gasped loudly.

"You…but…no…" Alex faltered, sinking down on the edge of the bed. "It's…it's impossible! You can't be here!"

The man grinned. "Hey Alex. Long time, eh?"

Alex scowled. He sprang up from the bed and hit the man as hard as he could, his fist connecting solidly with the man's jaw. The man reeled backward into Zack, who caught him before he fell to the ground. The man straightened up, rubbing his injured jaw that now had a large red mark where Alex had hit him.

"Nice to see you too, Alex," he said wryly.

"You bastard!" Alex growled, lunging forward.

"Alex, no!" Hunter protested.

"You fucking bastard! How could you do this to me?!" Alex yelled. "You were dead! I went to your funeral! I mourned for you!"

He moved to hit the man again, but instead, collapsed against him, sobbing.

"How…could…you…do…this?" he gasped between sobs.

The man sighed softly. "I'm sorry, Alex. I had no other choice. But I…I can't tell you why."

Alex growled softly at this. He looked at the man, disgust filling his eyes. Without saying a word, he pushed the man away and stormed out.

"Alex!" Hunter protested, starting to follow him.

"Let him go," the man said. Hunter turned to him, surprised. The man grinned at him. "It's better to just let him be for now. You know how he gets." He rolled his eyes.

Hunter smiled. "Yeah, you're right."

"So what's first?" the man asked.

Hunter shifted nervously. "Your hair."

The man stiffened. "Oh. Right."

"I know it's hard," Hunter said meekly.

"His hair?" Zack asked, puzzled. "Why…?" Then, he understood. "Oh!"

"You know why," Hunter murmured.

"Just get it over with," the man snapped.

Hunter nodded. "You should probably wash it first, unless you want me to."

"I'll do it." The man gritted his teeth and headed into the bathroom.

Moments later, they heard the shower running

"He's such a baby," Alex muttered from the door.

Zack turned. Alex leaned against the doorframe, smoking a cigarette.

"That one of his?" Zack asked, motioning to the cigarette.

"Yeah." Alex took a long drag from the cigarette and exhaled a large cloud of smoke. "I figured that the bastard owed me for pulling that stunt on me."

Zack smirked. "Fair enough."

Hunter frowned. "You shouldn't be smoking that."

"I know," Alex said, rolling his eyes. At Zack's curious look, he said, "I quit smoking about three years ago. But damn, I really need to smoke right now. It helps relieve the stress, which is why I started smoking in the first place."

Hunter sighed. "If you have to smoke, will you at least open a window?"

"Fine." Alex stalked over to the only window in the room above the desk in one corner and shoved it open.

The shower seemed to run for ages, but at last, it shut off. A couple minutes passed and then the door opened and the man stalked out. Zack couldn't help staring; it was the first time he had seen the man with his hair unbound. It made the man look even more effeminate. He quickly looked away as the man caught his gaze and glared.

"Come on," Alex said, rolling his eyes impatiently.

"Is that one of my cigarettes?" the man asked, eyeing the cigarette stuck between Alex's lips.

"Of course it is," Alex responded.

"You have some nerve…" the man said, scowling.

"Oh, says the guy who faked his death," Alex retorted.

The man opened his mouth to reply, but Hunter cut him off.

"That's quite enough out of you, children," he scolded, stepping forward.

"I'll get you for this," the man mouthed at Alex.

Alex only smirked. He gestured to the desk chair. Scowling, the man sat in the chair. Alex positioned a garbage can behind it to catch the falling hair. Hunter moved forward, armed with a comb and pair of scissors. He set the scissors down on the cluttered desk and attacked the man's hair. Zack watched in fascination as Hunter expertly worked the comb through the rust-colored hair made wavy from being kept in a tight braid. When he was finished, Hunter set the comb on the desk and picked up the scissors. The man eyed them nervously and pursed his lips, but didn't say anything.

Hunter took a large chunk of hair and paused for a moment, staring thoughtfully at it before setting off to work. The room was silent, save for the soft snipping of Hunter's scissors. He blocked the man from Zack's view so he wouldn't have any idea what the man would look like until Hunter was done with him.

Zack blinked and stared when Hunter finally stepped away. He almost didn't recognize the man. Almost. The man's hair had been cut extremely short on top, but left longer in the back. It was rather dashing, though Zack certainly wasn't about to say that aloud. The man reached up and ran his fingers through what was left of his hair. He clearly did not look happy about the haircut, but at least he didn't say anything.

"Well?" Hunter asked nervously.

"It'll do," the man answered gruffly.

Hunter looked visibly relieved. He hastily moved around and cleaned up the hair that had missed the garbage can.

"Come on," Alex told the man. "We've still got a lot of work to do."

The man scowled. "Can I at least have a drink first?"

"Fine." Alex sighed.

The man brightened at this. He turned to Zack. "You want a drink?"

"Sure," Zack replied.

He followed the man out to the kitchen, where he pulled a pair of shot glasses out of a cupboard.

"Whiskey okay?" the man asked, going into another cupboard.

"Yeah." Zack nodded.

The man poured out a healthy amount of whiskey into each glass. They clinked their glasses together and downed the shots in one gulp.

"Ah, that's better," the man said, setting his shot glass back on the counter.

"Mmm," Zack agreed, putting his shot glass next to the man's.

"Come on." The man rolled his eyes. "Better get back in there before Alex throws a fit."

Zack could not conceal a grin as he followed the man back into the bedroom.

Several hours later, the man was virtually unrecognizable. Alex and Hunter had worked wonders to conceal his identity. His hair had been dyed a darker shade of red so it didn't stand out. Hunter and Alex had used some sort of prosthetics to disguise his face. Zack didn't know what they did, but it looked so realistic. His scars had been hidden with make-up as well. Even his eyes were different; blue-green instead of vivid blue, thanks to colored contacts. He wore the dark robes of the High Council, though he had the hood pushed back.

The man smiled nervously at Zack. "What do you think?"

"You look the part," Zack replied.

"Good," the man said. "Now I just gotta play the part."

"You'll be fine," Zack reassured him. He gently touched the man on the shoulder. "Remember, everything depends on this."

He knew the man understood how high the stakes were.

The man smiled at Zack. "I won't let you down. I promise."

Zack only hoped he could keep that promise, or they were all screwed.

Author's Notes

Hi there. I'm sorry this chapter is posted so late. I forgot that today was Friday. I've been having a rough week. Today was my only day off this week so I'm a little stressed. Well, this sort of came out of the blue. None of this was planned. At all. My characters just sort of sprang this on me, but I'm going with it, because it makes a lot of sense.

Aw, what the hell? This wasn't supposed to happen. Our mysterious man was already supposed to be on the High Council. But given his circumstances, I guess it makes sense

Elena is a character who wasn't supposed to be introduced until later, but I guess it's better for her to be introduced now even though she probably won't make too much of an appearance. Ditto Hunter and Alex.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"Wake up, Roxas." The whispered words broke Roxas from his slumber at once.

"Whaz goin' on?" Roxas slurred, not completely awake yet.

"It's me, Zack," a voice said. "You need to get up."

"Is something wrong?" Roxas asked, suddenly stabbed with a wave of anxiety.

"No, nothing's wrong," Zack hastily reassured him. "It's just that you're going to be transported to the High Council headquarters today and I'm one of the guards assigned to escort you there."

"You are?" Roxas asked.

"That's right," Zack answered with a slight smile. "It's standard procedure. You, Zexion, and Demyx will each be escorted by a pair of guards. I'm one of yours."

Roxas did not ask how he had magically become one of his guards; he suspected he already knew the truth.

"Who's the other one?" he asked instead.

"His name is Vance," Zack answered. "Don't worry; he's one of my allies."

"And you trust him?" Roxas asked.

"I trust him enough," Zack replied coolly. "Anyway, Vance and I will be escorting you pretty much everywhere you go. You'll be taken to the High Council headquarters and put in a holding cell where you'll wait until you appear in front of the High Council."

"How long will the trial take?" Roxas asked nervously.

Zack blew air through his teeth. "Hard to say. It depends on how many questions the High Council wants to ask and how long they take to reach a decision. Look, I know you must have a lot of questions right now and I want to answer them, I really do, but we don't have time. We're leaving pretty soon and I thought it would be a good idea if you had a decent meal before you left."

"I'm not really hungry," Roxas mumbled.

Zack sighed; he had been afraid of this. "Can you at least try to eat something? It's probably going to be a couple hours at least until you're fed again."

"All right," Roxas reluctantly agreed.

Zack had a tray with a bowl of oatmeal, two pieces of toast, and a glass of orange juice brought in and stayed while Roxas ate what he could. When the blonde was done, Zack brought the tray out and returned to the cell.

"I'm going to put these on you," he said, pulling out a pair of handcuffs.

Roxas swallowed nervously at the sight of them, but nodded. Zack tried to be as gentle as he could when applying the handcuffs.

"All right," he said softly when he had finished. "Let's go."

They walked out of the cell and met up with Vance, who was waiting nearby. Vance smiled at him in his usual friendly manner. Roxas returned the smile.

"All right. The first place we've gotta go is the Bearers' dormitory," Zack said.

Roxas looked at him blankly. "The Bearers' dormitory? Why?"

"You've gotta pack," Zack explained. "You know, clothes and stuff."

"Oh," Roxas said. "I'm allowed to do that?"

"Well sure," Zack replied. "You didn't think they wouldn't let you change at all, did you?"

Roxas frowned faintly. "I…don't know."

"Gee, that's reassuring," Zack said with a good-natured roll of his eyes. "C'mon, we'd better get going. Tight schedule, you know?"

Roxas nodded and followed the pair of guards down the hallways. The Bearers' dormitory was empty when they arrived.

"I'm gonna unlock your handcuffs," Zack told Roxas in a serious tone. "I'm trusting you to not do anything stupid, all right?"

Roxas nodded. "I understand."

"Good." Zack smiled at him. "A bag should have been brought for you to use. Pack whatever you think you'll need. And don't take too long."

"All right," Roxas replied.

As soon as Zack unlocked his handcuffs, he hurried to his bunk. As Zack had said, a small duffel bag waited for him on his bed. He quickly stuffed some clean clothes and other miscellaneous things into the bag and zipped it up.

"I'm ready to go," he told Zack quietly.

"All right," Zack replied. "Give your bag to Vance. He'll carry it for you."

Roxas nodded and handed the bag to Vance. He obediently turned around and held still as Zack put the handcuffs back on him.

"We're good," Zack said.

He and Vance led Roxas out of the Bearers' dormitory. They traveled silently through the deserted hallways until they came to a plain-looking door. Zack stepped forward and unlocked it with one of his many keys.

"After you," he told Roxas, stepping back.

Roxas crossed the threshold first and immediately stopped, blinded by the intense light. It had been over two years since he had been outside, so it was strange to be outside now. The sky was forget-me-not blue with no clouds visible for miles. Roxas inhaled deeply. The air was hot and muggy.

"Feel good?" Zack asked quietly.

Roxas turned and looked at him, surprised; he hadn't even heard Zack approach.

"Yes," he whispered. "It's so weird, you know? I haven't been outside since I arrived at The Institute and that was over two years ago."

Zack gently patted him on the shoulder. "We need to go."

He pointed to a waiting black sedan. It sat on a long driveway that stretched as far as Roxas could see. Vance opened the back door for him. He was surprised at the interior; instead of the usual seat arrangement with two rows facing forward, there was a row of seats facing forward and a row of seats facing backward. Roxas crawled across and sat in one of the forward facing seats. Zack slid into the seat next to him, while Vance sat across from them.

"Lean forward and I'll undo your cuffs," Zack said.

Roxas did as he was told. He sighed quietly as he felt the handcuffs come off. He leaned back against the cool leather seat.

Zack grinned at him. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you," Roxas replied.

There was a slight pause.

"Sooo," Zack drawled. "I bet you've got a lot of questions you wanna ask."

"Yeah." Roxas nodded.

"Well, we've got the time," Zack said. "Ask away."

"Um…okay." Roxas thought for a few moments. "What can you tell me about the High Council?"

"Well…" Zack said slowly. "There are six members on the High Council. Not a lot is known about them aside from their names. They keep their faces concealed to keep their true identities a secret. The current members of the High Council are Daelan, Baxter, Yasmin, Luna, Carmine, and Rusty."

"Where are Zexion and Demyx right now?" Roxas asked.

"They're being transferred to the High Council headquarters separately," Zack answered. "You probably won't see them much during this ordeal."

"Oh." Roxas's face fell slightly.

"Anything else you wanna know?" Zack asked.

Roxas frowned as he thought about it. "Um, I guess not. Those were the two big questions I had."

"All right," Zack said. "Let me know if you think of anything else. In the meantime, we need to talk about exactly what you're going to say and how you're gonna act."

Roxas looked puzzled. "Is that really important?"

"Yes," Zack replied. "It's very important. You need to make a good impression on the High Council." Roxas looked worried, so Zack smiled at him. "You shouldn't really worry. It'll be easy for you to make a good impression on them. You're not hard to like, trust me."

"If you say so," Roxas murmured.

"I know so," Zack said confidently. "Regardless of this fact, we need to prepare." Roxas nodded. "The High Council will most likely question you separately from Zexion, Demyx, and Halen."

"Why?" Roxas blurted out.

"Well, because they don't want you collaborating with each other," Zack answered. This earned him a blank look from Roxas. "They don't want you to talk to each other about what happened because they think you'll try to come up with a cover sorry. They're determined to get the truth and by keeping you apart and interrogating you separately, they'll be able to get your own individual stories and piece the truth together. Plus, they think you won't feel pressured to lie if you're being questioned in front of the others. Do you understand?"

"I…guess so," Roxas said slowly. "So what happens at the interrogation?"

"You'll go in and they'll basically just ask you a bunch of questions," Zack replied.

"About what?" Roxas asked.

"Most likely about your relationship with Zexion and Demyx," Zack replied. "I don't know for sure, unfortunately. But they'll probably want to know how long you've been friends with them, what the relationship is like, and so on."

"They'll ask about the affair too, right?" Roxas asked quietly.

"Yeah," Zack answered grimly.

"What do I tell them?" Roxas asked.

Zack sighed. "You may have no choice but to just tell them everything."

"But…" Roxas bit his lip.

"I know," Zack said.

"I…I don't know if I can betray them, Zack," Roxas said, raising his voice. "They're my best friends!"

He let out a muffled sob, then turned his face away so Zack couldn't see his tears. He knew what he had to do, what the right thing to do was, but he couldn't help feeling like a traitor. Would Zexion and Demyx hate him if they found out he had ratted them out? Maybe one day, they could forgive him.

Roxas turned back to Zack at last, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I'll tell them everything."

"Good," Zack said softly. "I know it's difficult…"

Roxas's eyes blazed with anger. "No, you really don't."

Zack scoffed at this, but did not dare elaborate. Instead, he said, "The biggest thing to remember is that you can't lose your temper, all right? Whatever happens, no matter how mad they make you, you can't yell at them."

"Okay," Roxas whispered. "I'll try."

"Don't worry," Zack said, giving him a small smile. "Me and Vance are gonna be right there in the room with you. If you start to lose your temper, one of us will give you a gentle nudge to remind you."

Roxas looked at Vance, who had been silent up until now. Vance gave him a short nod. Roxas turned back to Zack.

"Okay," he said.

"One more thing." Vance spoke up for the first time. Roxas and Zack both looked at him. "There's a chance that Roxas will be interviewed by only one of the members of the High Council and I think we should be prepared for that." He gave Zack a significant look.

"Oh, right," Zack said, immediately catching on, though Roxas remained oblivious. "Like Vance said, there's a chance you'll have a one-on-one interview with one of the members of the High Council. If that happens, just remember whatever you say to that person may be repeated to the rest of the High Council."

"Okay," Roxas said. "I'll keep that in mind."

Zack smiled at him encouragingly. There was no doubt in his mind that Roxas would be fine when facing the High Council. Even so, he would take any step necessary to ensure that Roxas succeeded.

Author's Notes

Short, I know. The next chapter will be much longer, I promise.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

It was late afternoon by the time they reached the Capital. Roxas squinted through the tinted windows, trying to see out, but it was futile.

"We're almost to the Justice Building, so I've gotta put these back on you." Zack held up the handcuffs.

Roxas groaned softly, but nodded. "All right."

"I'm sorry," Zack murmured, snapping the handcuffs on.

"Five minutes, Zack," Vance said.

"Right." Zack nodded. He turned to Roxas, his face serious. "We've been trying to keep quiet about this the best we can, but it's probably going to be leaked to the press anyway. Just remember: almost the entire world thinks that the Bearers are extinct, so make sure you're careful about what you say outside the High Council's chambers. Got it?"

"Yeah," Roxas replied.

The sedan came to a standstill. Roxas swallowed nervously as Vance opened the door. The two guards exited first, then Zack turned and helped Roxas crawl out. The first thing Roxas was aware of was the bright light. He groaned and blinked furiously, unable to shield his eyes with his hand. When his eyes adjusted, he saw something he had never seen before; skyscrapers. He had been raised in a small town and had never once left it, so he was unprepared for the bustling city life. He had seen skyscrapers before, but they had been pictures, and it was certainly no comparison to seeing them in real life.

Zack nudged him gently and he reluctantly started walking, following the guards into one of the skyscrapers. The interior was just as massive as the outside, lavishly decorated with marble floors with specks of gold, floor-to-ceiling windows, and large potted plants scattered around the room. Zack and Vance led him over to a bank of silver elevators and while they waited for one to arrive, Roxas watched the other people coming and going. They were all dressed nicely in suits and skirts, every one of them prim and proper. They walked as though they were in a hurry and ignored everything going on around them. Some of them chatted on cell phones while others just walked. For some reason, it made Roxas's skin crawl.

He was ushered into an elevator by Zack and Vance and the doors closed before anyone could join them.

"Floor B2," Zack said softly.

Vance, who was closest, pushed the button. The elevator traveled smoothly and quickly.

"Basement two," a woman's voice announced as the elevator stopped and the doors slid open.

Roxas blinked in surprise. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to find, but it certainly wasn't a dark room made almost entirely of stone. He couldn't help feeling nervous as they exited the elevator and walked down a hallway. Doors started appearing on either side of the hallway, large metal doors cut into the stone. Zack and Vance walked him all the way down until they came to the very end.

"This is your cell," Zack said quietly, opening the door for him.

Inside, there was a small bed with a wooden frame, a sink, a toilet, and a single bare bulb hanging overhead. There were no windows. Zack stepped forward and unlocked Roxas's handcuffs.

"Here's your bag," Vance said, walking into the room.

He handed Roxas his bag, who accepted it with a quiet thank you.

"You're going to be appearing in front of the High Council in the morning," Zack said. "Vance and I will be outside in case you need us. Okay?"

"All right," Roxas whispered.

Zack and Vance left, closing the door behind them. Roxas dropped his duffel bag on the floor and flopped on the bed.

He barely slept that night, plagued by anxiety-ridden dreams. Vance and Zack came in early to get him.

"You want something to eat before we go?" Zack asked.

Roxas shook his head. "I'm not really hungry."

"All right," Zack said quietly, deciding to not push Roxas this morning. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," Roxas whispered.

"I have to handcuff you again," Zack said.

"Okay," Roxas replied.

He stood still as Zack handcuffed him. They left the cell and waited for the elevator.

"What floor?" Zack asked as they entered the elevator.

"Fifty-eight," Vance replied. "Here, I got it."

He pushed the button. The doors slid shut and the elevator headed up.

"Floor fifty-eight," the woman's voice said.

The doors slid open, revealing a marble foyer similar to the lobby. There was a long, narrow hallway with one wall made completely out of glass, the other decorated with expensive-looking paintings.

Roxas couldn't help nervously glancing out the windows as they proceeded down the hallway. It was a long way to the ground from here. They reached the end of the hallway and Roxas's breath caught in his throat; the wall in front of them was made entirely out of glass. He came to a standstill, paralyzed by fear.

"Roxas, are you all right?" Zack asked with a frown as he and Vance also stopped.

"We're so high up." Roxas's voice waivered unsteadily.

"Yeah we are, aren't we…oof!" Vance grunted as Zack elbowed him in the ribs.

He might not have heard the fear in Roxas's voice, but Zack certainly did.

He leaned over and whispered in Roxas's ear, "Don't you worry, okay? I'm right here and I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

Roxas nodded. Zack put a hand on his shoulder and kept it there as they rounded the corner. He only let go of Roxas's shoulder when they came to a pair of large wooden doors. He and Vance shared a brief glance before Vance stepped forward and rapped on one of the doors. There was a pause and then the doors swung open.

"Name?" a woman's voice came from the shadows.

"Zack Fair and Vance Meyers bringing in Roxas Strife for questioning," Zack said.

"Enter," the woman said.

Zack ushered Roxas forward.

The room was made entirely of stone and shrouded in almost complete darkness. The only light source in the room came from several flickering candles sitting on a long wooden desk. And seated behind the desk were six cloaked figures, their faces obscured by dark hoods.

"Please stand in the center of the room," a woman's voice boomed out.

Roxas moved to the center, Vance and Zack standing on either side of him.

"Don't be afraid," Zack whispered so only he could hear. "You'll be great."

Roxas nodded, swallowing hard.

"You are Roxas Alexander Strife, correct?" the same woman as before asked.

"Yes," Roxas answered.

"Do you understand the charges being brought against you?" the woman asked.

"Yes," Roxas replied.

"If you agree to cooperate with this investigation, the charges against you may be dropped," the woman said. "Are you willing to cooperate?"

"Yes," Roxas said, his voice remaining steady.

"Very well," the woman said. "You will be questioned by Rusty."

There was a hushed murmur from the others seated behind the desk. The whispering continued as one of the figures rose and walked around to where Roxas stood.

"Come with me." A man's voice came from beneath the hood.

He led them through a side door. They ended up in a large, well-lit chamber. Three of the four walls were made entirely of glass, affording a stunning view of the city. The last wall was painted beige and decorated with expensive-looking paintings, which perfectly matched the white shag carpet. In the middle of the room were a pair of black leather couches facing each other, separated by a glass table.

The man strode forward, clearly agitated. "God I hate these fucking hoods."

He reached up and pushed his hood back, then turned to Roxas, Zack, and Vance. Roxas couldn't help staring; Rusty was young, around Vance and Zack's age.

"You can unlock his handcuffs," Rusty said to Zack and Vance.

Zack stepped forward and unlocked Roxas's handcuffs. Roxas rubbed his sore wrists.

"Have a seat, Roxas," Rusty said, gesturing to one of the couches.

Roxas sank down on the couch and sighed quietly; it was one of the most comfortable couches he had ever sat on. Rusty sat on the couch opposite him with his legs crossed and once again, Roxas couldn't help staring. It wasn't only Rusty's youth that caught his attention, though that certainly was a large part of it. Rusty felt familiar to Roxas for some reason, though Roxas knew he had never met the man before. He would have remembered meeting such a man.

Yet Roxas felt like he knew him from somewhere.

Roxas found himself carefully studying Rusty's face. He looked to be no older than thirty, though there was something that made him seem older. His dark red hair was cut short and his blue-grey eyes seemed to smile at him. Yet there was something else in his eyes, something hidden deep beneath his surface. Rusty's gaze was friendly, but guarded, as though he was trying to hide something.

Rusty caught Roxas's gaze and frowned. "Is there something wrong, Roxas?"

"No," Roxas quickly denied. "I just wasn't expecting…are you allowed to show your face like this?"

"Eh, probably not," Rusty said. "But then again, I don't really care. Never been one to play by the rules."

"I see," Roxas murmured.

There was an awkward pause. Rusty leaned forward and picked up a thick manila folder sitting on the glass table. He leafed through it for a few moments, frowning thoughtfully. At last, he looked back up at Roxas, his expression unreadable.

"I'm supposed to drill you now," he said. "I'm supposed to ask you question after question about your friends Zexion and Demyx and their affair and somehow I'm supposed to get a confession out of you. Now I'm gonna be honest with you, okay, Roxas?"

"Um…okay," Roxas replied.

"I'm not comfortable drilling you like you're some sort of criminal," Rusty said. Roxas looked incredulous. "Really, I'm not. In all honesty, I think this whole thing is a load of crap. What I'm more concerned about is you, Roxas."

"Me?" Roxas asked, surprised. "Why are you concerned about me? We haven't met before, have we?"

"Oh no," Rusty answered with a laugh. "We've never met, but I know a lot about you."

"You do? How?" Roxas asked.

Zack suddenly cleared his throat. "I think we should really stick to the topic at hand."

"Aw, come on, Zack," Rusty protested. "It's not like it's gonna stay a secret forever, right? Besides, I think he has the right to know at least some of what's going on."

"Fine." Zack sighed. "Do what you want. I know I probably won't be able to stop you anyway. Just remember to be mindful of what you say."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Rusty waved his hand impatiently. He grinned at Roxas, who looked thunderstruck. "You look really confused."

"Well, yeah," Roxas said, scowling. "Just what the hell is going on here?"

"Well, long story." Rusty ran his fingers through his hair. "And obviously I can't tell you everything. But the basic gist is that us three, Zack, Vance, and myself, plus a couple others, are charged with watching over you. You know, making sure you're okay and stuff. I guess you can say we're like your guardians."

"But why?" Roxas asked. "And who asked you to watch over me?"

From behind Roxas, Zack rapidly shook his head. Rusty gave him a withering look. Roxas seemed to catch on because he turned to Zack, who put a hand on his shoulder.

"Roxas, you must trust us," he said softly.

"Why?" Roxas's voice rose. "Why should I trust any of you?" He whirled around to glare at Rusty.

Rusty rose and walked around the glass table. Roxas blinked, surprised as Rusty kneeled down in front of him.

"Roxas, please," Rusty whispered, covering Roxas's hands with his own. "I know it's difficult right now, but you must trust us, all right?"

"All right." Roxas nodded.

Rusty smiled at him and returned to his couch.

"Anyway, Zack, Vance, and I are all here to look out for you," he said. "And you know, it's hard to do that when you're being reckless."

Roxas shifted uncomfortably. "I know. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Rusty said soothingly. "I'm not here to lecture you. It's just something to think about."

"Okay," Roxas murmured.

"We should probably move on now," Rusty said, clearing his throat nervously. "I don't want to drill you, but I've still gotta ask you these questions."

"I understand," Roxas whispered. "Let's just get this over with."

"All right," Rusty said. He sighed quietly. "I'm going to record this interview, you know, so we have it on record and everything."

"All right," Roxas replied.

He watched interestedly as Rusty fiddled with an old-fashioned tape recorder. When Rusty was satisfied that it was working properly, he leaned back, surveying Roxas carefully.

"Just a few basic questions first to make sure our records are straight," he said. Roxas nodded. Rusty cleared his throat loudly. "This is High Council member Rusty McCarthy, conducing interview number 673974. State your full name please."

"Roxas Alexander Walker," Roxas said clearly.

"You are fifteen years old, born May 15, 1987AA, correct?" Rusty asked.

"Yes," Roxas answered.

"And you are a Bearer At The Institute and have been one for two years?" Rusty asked.

"Yes." Roxas nodded.

"All right. How long have you known Zexion and Demyx?" Rusty asked.

"Two years," Roxas whispered. "Since I first arrived at The Institute."

"Right," Rusty said. "How did you…how did you meet?"

"Zexion…he was actually the first one I met," Roxas replied, not meeting Rusty's gaze. "He was there when I woke up in the dormitory. He asked me if I was all right and helped me get up. He was the one who introduced me to Demyx." He smiled slightly. "Out of all the Bearers there, they were the only ones who paid attention to me. They were the only ones who cared. Everyone else just ignored me for the most part."

"You must be very close to them," Rusty said.

"Oh yes," Roxas responded, his voice barely above a whisper. "If it wasn't for them looking out for me, I probably wouldn't have survived hose first couple weeks at The Institute."

"Do you know if they had always been…" Rusty seemed to choose his words carefully. "More than just friends?"

"No, I don't think they were always lovers," Roxas said.

"And why do you say that?" Rusty asked interestedly.

Roxas looked up at Rusty at last, his gaze steady. "Because Demyx told me."

Rusty tried hard to hide his surprise. "Then you knew about the affair?"

"Not initially, no." Roxas shook his head.

"When did you find out and how?" Rusty asked.

"I found out when Zexion was seeing the doctor to find out if he was pregnant," Roxas answered. "Demyx told me.." He swallowed hard. "He told me that if Zexion was pregnant, then he was the father. Then he explained about the affair. It had happened two months previously, the day I had my ultrasound. Zexion had been upset and Demyx had tried comforting him and they ended up having sex. They fought about it. I don't know exactly what went on or what was said." Roxas shook his head. "But they made up and ended up having sex a second time."

"When Demyx told you, how did he seem? Was he angry, upset, or what?" Rusty asked.

"He was very upset. Scared," Roxas answered. "All of us were. They knew as well as I did that what they did was wrong, but…" He cut himself off, shaking his head.

"But…?" Rusty prompted.

Roxas gazed at his lap once more, wringing his hands nervously. "But seeing the way Saïx treats Zexion…I can't condemn their actions."

"What do you mean 'the way Saïx treats Zexion'?" Rusty asked sharply. "How does he treat Zexion? Badly? Is he…is he abusive?"

"You'd have to ask Zexion," Roxas answered, still staring at his lap. "But I've seen things that make me suspicious."

"What things have you seen?" Rusty asked.

"Bruises," Roxas answered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Bruises all over his body when he came back from the Breeding Rooms. And he was always upset, on the verge of tears. He was always scared when his heat came. He tried to hide it, but I knew."

"Did you ever ask him about it?" Rusty asked.

"No." Roxas shook his head. "I knew it would only upset him and I didn't want that."

"Does anyone else know?" Rusty asked.

"Just Demyx," Roxas answered.

"How do you know he knows?" Rusty asked. "Did the two of you talk about it?"

"No," Roxas replied. "But I know because I've seen the way Demyx looks at Zexion after he comes back from the Breeding Rooms. I know he sees the bruises, even though Zexion tries to hide it, just like I do. He always looks so angry."

"What about your doctor? What's his name? Dr. Vexen, does he know?" Rusty asked.

"If he does, he's never said anything about it," Roxas answered. "Again, you'd be better off talking to Zexion."

"All right." Rusty nodded. He flipped through Roxas's file again. When he was done, he looked back up at Roxas, blue-green eyes thoughtful. "Now Roxas, it says here that you refused to cooperate with Director Xemnas. Can you explain why?"

"Uh…"Roxas hesitated.

"Roxas," Rusty said softly.

Roxas took a deep, shuddering breath. "Uh, I guess I was just scared. I wasn't really thinking. I panicked."

"That's understandable," Rusty murmured. "Are you sorry about what you did?"

"I…" Roxas hesitated once again.

He stared at Rusty for several long minutes. Zack gently put his hand on Roxas's shoulder and squeezed it.

"Just tell the truth," Zack whispered.

"But…" Roxas bit his lip.

"It might be difficult, but you need to be honest, okay?" Zack continued.

"Okay," Roxas replied.

"Is everything all right?" Rusty asked, frowning.

"Uh…yeah." Roxas swallowed hard.

"All right. Then can you answer the question?" Rusty said.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. "I…I'm not sorry for what I did. I just can't regret my decision. Zexion and Demyx are like my brothers and it breaks my heart to have to betray them like this. I know what they did and what I did was wrong, but Saïx…he's treated Zexion so badly, I can't feel sorry for him."

"I see," Rusty murmured. He nervously cleared his throat. "Well, I don't have any further questions to ask."

"Okay," Roxas said.

Rusty switched off the tape recorder. Roxas leaned back in his seat and sighed.

"You were great," Zack said encouragingly.

"Really?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah," Zack replied.

"I agree," Rusty said. "You did very well. You were calm, polite, and you didn't lose your temper. You sounded like a reasonable, mature adult. Not bad for a fifteen year-old."

Roxas blushed. "Thank you."

"You got lucky, Rusty," Zack said, smiling. "You got an easy one. I pity the poor fool who has to interview Demyx."

"Yeah." Roxas laughed. "I feel sorry for them too."

"All right," Rusty said. "You may escort Roxas back to his cell to wait until the High Council come to a decision."

Zack nodded and put the handcuffs back on Roxas. Rusty watched as the two guards escorted Roxas out before leaning back in his seat with a loud sigh. He really needed a cigarette, but he had something else to do first. He got up and pressed the button on the wall that summoned the secretary. While he waited for her to arrive, Rusty carefully rearranged his robes and pulled his hood back up. He wasn't lying when he told Roxas that he hated the hoods, but he wasn't taking any risks. He had only revealed his face to Roxas because he knew it was important that the boy at least recognized him.

Rusty smiled when the secretary entered through a side door, though she certainly couldn't see the smile. "I'd like you to summon prisoner Zexion Rogers. I have a few questions I'd like to ask him."

"All…all right." The secretary tried to hide her confusion and hurried out.

While Rusty waited for Zexion to be brought in, he changed the tapes in the tape recorder, making sure to carefully label the tape containing Roxas's interview. At last, one of the side doors opened and pair of guards entered with Zexion between them.

Rusty remembered Zexion from his daring journey into The Institute to save the boy's life. He looked years older now, full of worry. His long dark hair was unwashed and tangled and he looked like he hadn't slept properly in weeks.

"Hello Zexion," Rusty said pleasantly. "I have a few questions I'd like to ask you, if that's all right."

"Yeah," Zexion said.

"You can remove Zexion's handcuffs," Rusty told the guards escorting Zexion.

One of them stepped forward and unlocked Zexion's handcuffs. Zexion rubbed his wrists and Rusty could see the bruises the handcuffs had made. Rusty pursed his lips, not pleased that a Bearer had been treated so roughly, but he kept his comments to himself. Instead, he switched on the tape recorder.

"This is High Council member Rusty McCarthy conducting a mini-interview supplemental to interview number 673974. State your full name, please."

"Zexion Jasper Rogers," Zexion said.

"What is your date of birth?" Rusty asked.

"October 15, 1986AA," Zexion answered.

"So you've been a Bearer at The Institute for three years then?" Rusty asked.

"Yes." Zexion nodded.

"And you are one of Roxas's friends?" Rusty asked.

"Yes." Again, Zexion nodded.

"All right," Rusty said. "It has been brought to my attention that your relationship with Saïx is…well…unhappy."

"What?" Zexion looked surprised. "Oh no, it's fine."

Rusty immediately noticed that Zexion did not meet his gaze when he replied and that made him suspicious. It seemed like Zexion was hiding something. Why else would he look so nervous?

"Zexion," Rusty said softly. "I want you to be honest with me. Does Saïx hurt you?"

"No!" Zexion immediately denied. "Well, maybe it hurts a little when we have sex, but it's not anything major."

"That's not what I meant," Rusty said sternly. "I mean…look, there's no real way to be delicate about this, so I'm just going to ask you straight. Is Saïx abusive?"

"Wh…what?" Zexion stammered.

"Has Saïx ever hit your or been violent with you?" Rusty asked. "Please tell me the truth, Zexion."

Zexion took a deep breath. "Yes. Saïx has hit me."

"How often?" Rusty's gaze was unreadable.

"Only a couple times," Zexion answered. Rusty looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Honest."

"All right." Rusty believed him. "Have you told anyone about this?"

"No." Zexion shook his head.

"Why not?" Rusty demanded.

"I…I didn't want anyone to worry," Zexion mumbled.

Rusty scoffed at this "It's kind of too late for that."

"What do you mean?" Zexion asked, frowning.

"Roxas is worried about you," Rusty answered. "He didn't say anything when I was questioning him, but I could tell. And I'm betting your friend Demyx is worried about you too."

"I see," Zexion murmured, staring down at his lap.

"Hey." Rusty's tone was extremely gentle. Zexion looked up at him questioningly. "I have a few more questions for you, if you're up to it."

"Yeah, I'm fire," Zexion replied.

"All right," Rusty said. "Now, other people must have seen the bruises on your body, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Zexion said. "No one said anything, though."

Rusty frowned. "No one? What about Dr. Vexen?"

"I know he saw them," Zexion replied.

"Why do you say that?" Rusty asked.

"We have regular checkups once a month to make sure we're healthy. There was no way he could have missed the bruises. But he's never said anything," Zexion answered.

"Do you think he just didn't care?" Rusty asked.

"Yeah." Zexion nodded, his voice thick with emotion.

"All right. That's all I needed to know," Rusty said.

He leaned forward and switched off the tape recorder. He noticed that Zexion's eyes were filled with tears and pulled out a tissue from his pocket.

"Here," he said kindly, handing the tissue to Zexion. "Use this."

"Thank you," Zexion said, gratefully accepting it and wiping his eyes.

Rusty nodded absently. He addressed the guards next," Escort Zexion back to his cell, please. Oh, and you'd better be gentle with him this time or I'll hunt you down. And I will make you sorry you ever decided to treat this boy so roughly."

The guards looked surprised, but meekly nodded. Rusty was pleased to see them gently handcuff Zexion and lead him away. When they were gone, Rusty leaned back in his seat again. He stared at the ceiling for several minutes before giving into his inner struggle, and lit a cigarette. He was lucky the real Rusty had been a smoker because otherwise, he would have been screwed; quitting smoking was not high on his list of things to do.

Rusty was silent for a long time, enjoying his cigarette. At one point, he got up and stood at the window, looking out at the vast city below him. He returned to the couch and put out his cigarette in the silver ash tray on the table between the two couches.

He felt much better now. He opened Roxas's file and started to go through everything so he could make a recommendation to the rest of the High Council about what he thought the right course of action was. The two members who interviewed Zexion and Demyx would also make recommendations and the High Council would vote. Rusty only hoped he could persuade the others to spare Roxas, Zexion, and Demyx, or everything would come undone.

Author's Notes

Roxas is apparently afraid of heights. That is something I did not know before. The things my characters don't tell me…

The scene where Rusty interviews Roxas was extremely difficult to write. I think I ended up rewriting it three or four times because I just wasn't satisfied with the way it was turning out. And it certainly didn't help that Rusty decided to be a huge pain in the ass and kept trying to reveal stuff that shouldn't have been revealed yet. Luckily, he and I were able to compromise, which is kind of surprising because Rusty isn't really one to compromise.

The scene where Rusty brings Zexion in for questioning was unplanned, but it was kind of necessary because Roxas just suddenly told Rusty that he thinks Saïx is abusive (which was pretty important to reveal, I thought) and Rusty needed to follow up on that and clarify a few things.

I threw in the monthly checkups because I realized it was kind of important for them (for the Bearers and the Breeders) to be checked out by Dr. Vexen to make sure they're healthy. I may or may not go back and add in a scene later, depending on how important I think it is.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Roxas did not know how much time had passed before Zack and Vance came to get him. There was no way for him to keep track of the passing time in that small room so everything seemed to blur together.

Zack was remarkably calm as he entered Roxas's cell and handcuffed him for what Roxas hoped was the last time. Neither of them spoke as they met up with Vance outside Roxas's cell nor as they rode the elevator back up to the fifty-eighth floor.

Roxas was surprised to find that it was dusk when he entered the elevator on the proper floor. The sky was still mostly blue, but as it dipped behind the other buildings, it faded to a rosy pink color. Roxas had never seen anything so beautiful before in his life.

Zack gently nudged him and he started walking again, keeping his eyes firmly trained on the ground, not trusting himself once to look up. Zack's hand was on his shoulder and remained there until they had stopped in front of the wooden doors that led into the High Council's chambers.

He squeezed Roxas's shoulder gently before letting go and whispering, "Just remember to keep breathing."

Roxas nodded. "I'm afraid I'm going to fall over. Don't let me fall, Zack!" Panic crept into his voice, despite his best efforts to remain calm.

"Never," Zack whispered. "Vance and I are right behind you. If you look like you're gonna fall over, we'll catch you. Promise."

The doors swung open. Roxas breathed deeply and slowly exhaled, and then entered.

As before, the only light in the room came from the flickering candles on the long wooden desk in the center of the room. The members of the High Council sat behind the desk, faces concealed behind their hoods. However, Roxas could pick out which one of the members was Rusty because of the way he sat; his posture was much more relaxed than the others'.

The doors behind them opened again and Roxas turned as Demyx was led in by two guards. He looked as awful as Roxas felt, though he didn't look as bad as Zexion, who was led in several minutes later. Roxas had to suppress his cry of horror at seeing how fatigued he looked, like he was on the verge of collapsing. Saïx was led in last and even _he _looked awful.

They stood in a line, their guards standing on either side of them, waiting. At last, a woman spoke, "We have reviewed all the evidence presented to us and we have reached a decision. In the matter of Zexion Jasper Rogers, Demyx Maxwell O'Connor and Roxas Alexander Walker, we have decided that the maximum punishment, which is execution, is not necessary. Instead, the punishment shall be that the three of you shall be separated, effective immediately.

"You will be moved out of the dormitories and given your own apartments that will be shared with your respective mates. Your meals will still be taken with the rest of the Bearer population, and you will still attend lessons, but you will not be permitted near each other. Nor will you be permitted to communicate with each other in any way. You will each be assigned a guard who will enforce this. This arrangement will be permanent. Is that clear?"

Zexion, Demyx, and Roxas nodded.

"Then you are free to go," the woman said.

They were led out one at a time; Saïx first, Zexion second, Demyx third, and Roxas last. Once they were outside, Roxas fell to his knees.

"Fuck," Zack muttered. He had been afraid this would happen.

He kneeled down beside Roxas and hastily unlocked his handcuffs and tossed them away.

"Roxas," he said softly. "Roxas!"

Roxas was extremely pale, his gaze vacant. Zack grabbed him by the shoulders and gently shook him.

"Roxas!" he called frantically. "Please!"

His frantic tone seemed to snap Roxas out of his trance. He blinked and stared at Zack for a few moments, looking completely lost.

"Roxas," Zack said, gently cupping Roxas's cheek.

Roxas was trembling badly and he looked like he was on the verge of tears. Zack wrapped his arms around him and drew him in close. He could feel Roxas's entire body shaking as he sobbed loudly. He gently rubbed Roxas's back and just let him cry.

At last, Roxas stopped crying and took in several deep breaths. He held onto Zack tightly, his face still buried in Zack's jacket. Both of them looked up when they heard raised voices down the hall. Vance was arguing with one of the members of the High Council. From this distance, it was impossible to tell who it was. Finally, Vance accepted something from the High Council member, though they could not see what it was. He stuck whatever it was he had been given into his jacket as the High Council member walked away. Then, Vance walked over to Zack and Roxas.

"What was that all about?" Zack asked.

"Later," Vance muttered. He turned to Roxas. "We should probably get going. It's a long drive back to The Institute."

"We're going back tonight?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah, unfortunately. But you can sleep on the way," Vance said.

"Okay." Roxas nodded.

He unsteadily got to his feet and followed Zack and Vance to the elevators. None of them spoke as they traveled down to the lobby.

"This way," Zack said, taking Roxas by the arm, and leading him away from the main entrance. Roxas gave him a quizzical look. "There are a bunch of reporters hanging around out front. We're gonna go out a different way so they don't bother us."

They went out a side door and ended up in a narrow alley. The sedan waited for them there. They crawled in, Roxas and Zack on one side, and Vance across from them.

"So what was that little spectacle all about?" Zack asked as the sedan began to drive away.

"I just had a few words with Rusty," Vance answered gruffly. "He wanted me to give you this."

He leaned over and handed Roxas a plain white envelope that had been crumpled slightly. Roxas opened the envelope, took out a note, and read it.

Roxas,

There's a lot I want to tell you, but right now, I can't. I know that asking you to trust me is a really tall order, especially since you don't know me at all, but sometimes you need to have a little faith. I know things look really bad right now and things might feel like they're only getting worse, but no matter what happens, Zack, Vance and I, plus so many other people you've never had the chance to meet will always be there to protect you, your mate, and your friends. I know you're upset about the High Council's decision to permanently separate you from your friends and you probably don't want to talk to me or even see me. Hell, you probably won't even want to read this note, but I'm writing it anyway just because I need to get this down. I feel like to know more of the truth than what you have been told so far.

"He didn't," Zack, who had been reading the note growled.

Roxas gave him a startled look and then continued reading.

I can't tell you everything right now, even though I want to so badly, but there are some things I can tell you. Roxas, The Institute is no longer safe. Maybe you're already aware of this, maybe not. But regardless, the Institute is no longer safe, as it once was. Its original purpose has been corrupted and twisted to serve the needs of ruthless, ambitious men. All those who live and work at The Institute are becoming pawns in a much larger game. And I fear that once they have served their purpose, they're going to be disposed of. You must beware, Roxas. There are few who can be trusted at The Institute. For now, all you can do is try to keep out of trouble and stick close to your mate. He will protect you, as will Zack, Vance, and myself, but we can only do so much. I have faith in you and your mate. I know that the two of you will be all right. Things will get better, I promise. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to contact me. Zack knows how to find me.

Rusty

Roxas looked up at Zack. "Is…is what he says true? Is the Institute no longer a safe place?"

Zack sighed. He would have rather not have to discuss this with Roxas right now, but it seemed that he had no other choice.

"Look, I didn't want to tell you this because I was afraid of upsetting you, but what Rusty says is true," he said. "The Institute isn't as safe as it used to be. Now, I don't want to worry you, because things haven't gotten that bad yet, but I do think it would be wise for you to be careful. You understand?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded.

"All right," Zack said. "Now, we've gotta talk about what's going to happen once we return to The Institute."

"Oh. Right." Roxas shifted uncomfortably.

"Vance and I are gonna escort you to the Bearers' dormitory and you'll pack your stuff. Then we'll take you up to your apartment so you can get settled in," Zack said.

"I wasn't even aware there were apartments at The Institute," Roxas murmured.

"Yeah," Zack replied. "It's one of The Institute's best kept secrets, as is the entire second floor."

"Second floor?" Roxas asked incredulously.

"That's right." Zack smiled. "There's a second floor here. Don't feel bad; most people don't know about it. There's really no need for anyone to know about it."

"So what's up there?" Roxas asked curiously.

"Mainly apartments," Zack answered. "Though most of them are empty at the moment."

Roxas frowned. "Empty? Why?" A thought suddenly occurred to him. "It has something to do with what Dr. Vexen said about me, doesn't it?"

Zack swore under his breath. He knew he should have said anything, but it had slipped out before he could stop himself.

"I…" he started to say.

"Look, I don't need an explanation, at least not right now," Roxas interrupted. "I understand you're trying to protect me from whatever the hell's going on around here. All I want is for you to tell me if I'm right or not."

Zack sighed. He saw what Roxas was doing; he was wheedling information out of Zack until he had enough to put the pieces together on his own. He definitely got that from Cloud.

Zack shook his head. "You're really something else, kid."

"Are you gonna answer my question?" Roxas demanded.

Zack nodded. "You are correct. What Dr. Vexen said about you has something to do with it. And that's all I'll say about it."

"Fair enough," Roxas said with a smile. "Can you tell me more about the apartments?"

"Sure," Zack answered. "There are two types of apartments at The Institute. The first type is what we call Level 1 apartments. They're very basic apartments with a single bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room. There's no kitchen.

"The other kind of apartment is called a Level 2 apartment. They're larger than Level 1 apartments and they have a kitchen. You and Axel will be sharing a Level 1 apartment, as requested by the High Council. As they already sort of explained, you'll still eat with the other Bearers and you'll still go to your lessons with them, but you'll spend the rest of your time in your apartment."

"With Axel?" Roxas asked.

"With Axel," Zack confirmed. Roxas looked slightly worried, so he added, "The High Council wouldn't have agreed to this arrangement if they didn't trust Axel. Besides, it's not like you're going to be completely alone with him. There will always be two guards posted outside your door in case something happens. But the High Council doesn't have any reason to believe anything will happen and neither do I."

Roxas only looked slightly reassured by this.

Axel couldn't believe what he was hearing and had to ask the guard for clarification.

"I'm going to be _what_?" he demanded.

"You're going to be transferred into an apartment with your mate," the guard repeated. "Effective immediately. You need to pack your things at once so we can get you settled into the apartment."

"But why are my mate and I being transferred into an apartment?" Axel asked.

"There's no time to explain right now," the guard hissed. "Let's go. Now!"

Axel sighed. He knew there was no way he was going to get any information out of the guard right now, so he just followed him back to the Breeders' dormitory. He packed all of his things into several large cardboard boxes and, with the help of a couple guards, carried them out of the dormitory.

After a while, Axel lost track of where they were going. Even he hadn't been this far into The Institute before. They came to a dead end. Axel blinked, confused. Then, one of the guards stepped forward and opened a panel in the wall He entered a code on a keypad and closed the panel. The wall slid to the side, revealing a doorway. Axel shot the guards a confused look. One of them gestured at the doorway. Axel walked through. There was a short hallway that ended in a staircase. Without being told, Axel climbed the stairs. He found a plain-looking hallway that looked like pretty much every other hallway at The Institute.

"Keep going," one of the guards growled.

Scowling, Axel started walking down the hall. Doors appeared on either side with large brass numbers on them.

"You and your mate are in number 222," guard called out before he could ask.

Axel looked at the numbers as he passed. At last, he found number 222 and tried the door. It was unlocked.

The apartment was small and plain with little in the way of furniture aside from a couch and a pair of comfortable-looking armchairs. There was a small bathroom with a shower and a bedroom with a single large bed, a dresser, and a nightstand with a lamp and an old-fashioned alarm clock on it.

Axel sighed and put the box he carried on the bed. The guards with him brought his other boxes in and left, though Axel knew there would be at least two guards standing outside. He tried not to think about it too much as he started unpacking his things.

When he had finished, he grabbed one of his prized books and took it out to the living room. He curled up in larger of the armchairs and started reading.

He didn't stir until he heard the front door open. He carefully marked his page and looked up as Roxas entered, carrying a cardboard box. When he saw Axel sitting in the chair, he gave a startled cry and dropped his box. Axel sprang up from his seat, the book falling from his lap.

"What's wrong? Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Roxas answered. "I was just startled, that's all."

He bent down to pick up his fallen box, but Axel was already picking it up.

"I've got it," he said.

"Oh. Thanks." Roxas blushed slightly.

Axel carried the box to the bedroom and set it on the bed. When he returned to the living room, Roxas was talking to a young guard. After a few moments, Axel realized that he knew the guard Roxas was talking to.

Zack immediately stopped talking when he saw Axel standing in the doorway.

"Oh, hey Axel," he said. "I was just helping Roxas move his things in."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Axel asked.

"No, it's all right," Zack replied. "We've got it."

"All right," Axel said.

He returned to his seat and picked up his fallen book. He opened it and pretended to read. In reality, he watched Roxas and Zack, as well as a couple other guards bring in Roxas's things. There wasn't much.

Soon after, Roxas vanished into the bedroom. Axel went back to his book for real. It was quiet for a while. Then, Axel heard a soft sniffling sound. He knew without a doubt that it came from Roxas. He opened the bedroom door. Roxas sat on the edge of the bed, crying softly.

"Roxas…?" Axel murmured, stepping forward.

Roxas looked up at him through tear-filled eyes and gasped softly.

"Axel!" he cried. "I…I didn't hear you come in."

Axel walked over to the bed and gently brushed Roxas's tears away. Roxas flushed.

"Roxas, what's wrong?" Axel asked gently.

Roxas was still for several moments, then something inside him seemed to break, and he started sobbing, burying his face in his hands. Axel sank down on the bed next to him. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around his mate and bringing him close.

Slowly, the story spilled out. Roxas told him everything—Zexion and Demyx's affair, Demyx fathering Zexion's child, their affair being found out, the High Council, Rusty's mysterious words, the verdict, and punishment.

Axel was silent, listening carefully to everything Roxas said. When his mate was done, he was still silent, digesting all the information he had just been told.

At last, he asked, "Do you still have the letter Rusty wrote?"

"Uh…yeah." Roxas nodded.

He got up and rifled through his things until he found the note. He brought it to Axel and waited, nervously biting his lip, as Axel read it.

Axel frowned. "I wonder what he means."

"I don't know," Roxas replied. "I don't know what to do."

"I want to talk to Bryan about this," Axel said.

Roxas frowned. "Bryan? Why?"

"Because he's my friend," Axel answered.

"Can he be trusted?" Roxas asked.

"I trust Bryan with my life," Axel said coldly. "I do not trust people easily. You know this. I will speak to him and we'll discuss what we need to do. All right?" Roxas nodded, though he still looked uncertain. Axel took his hand. "I want you to trust me on this, all right? Can you do that?"

Roxas looked at him for several moments, considering this. "Yes. I trust you."

Axel smiled. "Good."

He placed a light kiss on the top of Roxas's head and hugged him close.

Author's Notes

I had a lot of fun playing around with fonts for Rusty's letter. I chose something slightly illegible because it was fitting for Rusty. I also chose to make the font slightly larger than the rest of the text so it would be slightly easier to read, plus Rusty tends to write big.

I realize that I forgot to mention the music I listened to while writing the last chapter. It's kind of important.

First was Aerith's Theme from Final Fantasy VII Advent Children which I listened to while writing the scene where Roxas sees the view. It's a nice, gentle piano piece. Then I switched to A Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia for the scene right before Roxas enters the High Council's chambers. It's the complete opposite of Aerith's Theme-dark, ominous, and turbulent, which represents Roxas's feelings as he's about to face the High Council. Finally (and most importantly) was Rinzler from Tron Legacy. This is the High Council's theme. It's very dark, very ominous, and very fitting for the High Council. If you've never heard it (and even if you have), I highly encourage you to listen to it. It really captures the High Council.

Also, I realized I made a little bit of a boo-boo. I gave Roxas's surname as Walker, but that should have been Strife (Bearers are given the surname of their Bearer parent therefore Roxas has Cloud's surname of Strife). It's been corrected in the previous chapter.

Thanks to twilighttimefan for pointing out my other boo-boo. It's been corrected.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

It was apparent the next morning at breakfast just how much had changed. As soon as Roxas stepped into the cafeteria escorted by a guard he did not know, all conversations ceased and all attention in the room focused on him. Roxas tried hard to ignore the stares and whispers as he joined the end of the Bearers' line. While he waited, he looked around. Neither Zexion nor Demyx had arrived yet.

They didn't arrive until Roxas had gotten his breakfast and sat at a small table in the corner. The air in the cafeteria suddenly changed and Roxas looked up from his eggs to see why.

Zexion was crossing the cafeteria, escorted by Vance. He looked ill, his eyes red and puffy. His hair was braided again, though his uniform was rumpled. He ignored the stares and whispers that followed him, staring at the floor as he took a tray full of food and sat at a table alone.

The attention shifted to the door again as Demyx appeared with his guard. Unlike Zexion, Demyx held his head high as he crossed the cafeteria. Roxas caught his guard's disapproving look and returned to his meal.

It was so strange to not have Zexion and Demyx constantly by his side and it didn't take long for Roxas to miss their company. He sat in the back of the classroom, trying to pay attention to the day's lesson. He doodled on his paper that he was supposed to be using to take notes. After the lesson, the guard escorted Roxas to the locker room and silently waited while Roxas changed into his gym uniform.

It was a good thing they weren't doing anything dangerous in gym today because Roxas wasn't paying attention. He kept stealing glances at Zexion and Demyx, despite the guard's disapproving stare.

At last, class was over and Roxas went back to the locker room to change. By the time he entered, it was deserted.

"Don't take too long," the guard warned before leaving Roxas alone to change.

Roxas sighed quietly and started to strip off his sweaty uniform. He did not turn when he heard the door open and close. He didn't care if the guard he was with had come back to tell him to hurry up; he wasn't going to lunch until after a shower. He headed to the community showers and turned one of them on.

He was so absorbed in his task he did not know what was going to happen until it was too late. A hand covered his mouth, stifling his scream. He was thrown into the shower and slammed against the wall. Dazed, he collapsed. He turned to face his assailant and his eyes widened when he realized who it was.

"You…!" he gasped "Why…?"

Saïx ignored him and stepped forward. He stripped off his clothes and kneeled down.

"What are you…?" The rest of Roxas's words were lost in a scream as Saïx spread his legs and slammed into him.

Saïx's lips covered his, silencing his scream. His hands started touching Roxas everywhere. Roxas tried to push Saïx away, but Saïx easily pinned his hands above his head.

"Stop it. Please, stop it!" Roxas cried.

"Shut up," Saïx growled, striking him across the face.

Roxas let out a muffled cry, his face twisting around.

"Someone help me, please!" he cried "Please help me! Someone! Anyone! Axel! Help me! AXEL!"

/**Axel!**/

Axel's head snapped up as he heard Roxas call his name. He wildly looked around, but Roxas was nowhere to be found. Had he just imagined it? Then why did his chest feel tight all of a sudden, like someone was tightening it in a vise? He couldn't breathe.

/**Axel, please help me! Hurts! Help!**/

"Roxas?" his mate's name left his lips almost involuntarily.

The pain intensified and Axel swore he could hear Roxas's screams. No, he _was_ hearing Roxas scream. He knew, though he didn't know how he knew, that what he was hearing was real and not just a hallucination, not just his imagination playing tricks on him.

His grip on his lunch tray slackened and it slid through his fingers, clattering loudly on the floor. The entire cafeteria fell silent as the dishes on Axel's tray shattered. It was so unlike Axel to drop anything.

"Axel?" Bryan asked, turning around.

Axel was completely frozen, eyes wide with horror.

"Roxas," he whispered.

He turned and ran off. Confused, Bryan followed him.

"What's wrong, Axel?" he asked, jogging to keep up with his friend.

"I can hear Roxas!" Axel shouted. "He's scared and in a lot of pain!"

Bryan had no idea what the hell was going on as he followed Axel down the halls. Axel seemed to know where he was going and Bryan trusted him enough to not question it, even when they ended up in the gym. Axel immediately headed into the Bearers' locker room. It looked deserted, but Axel kept going, heading to the back where the showers were.

It was only when they got closer that Bryan heard the sound of one of the showers running, and then barely audible over the running water, screaming. The sound made Bryan's blood run cold.

Axel ran forward and then stopped, causing Bryan to run into him Bryan was about to ask him what was wrong when he saw what Axel was staring at and the words promptly died in his throat.

Roxas was pinned against the shower wall, his legs spread apart. Someone—Bryan couldn't see who—thrust hard against him. Roxas's eyes were tightly squeezed shut and tears stained his cheeks. His attacker thrust once more and his body stiffened as he reached his climax. Roxas's piercing cry made Bryan sick to his stomach.

Axel was completely still for several moments, his body rigid with shock. Then, he rushed forward.

"What do you think you're doing?" he roared. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY MATE?!"

Roxas opened his eyes and his expression immediately morphed from one of confusion to absolute horror. Axel wasted no time in getting Roxas's attacker off him. He forced the man around and scowled when he saw who it was. Bryan stared.

Axel punched Saïx as hard as he could, sending the other Breeder reeling. Saïx slumped against the wall, cursing fluently. He immediately straightened up and bolted for the door, Axel hot on his heels. Bryan jumped out of the way as they passed. He felt Axel's anger more than he saw it and he didn't want to get in the way. He knew that it would only result in him getting hurt. He would let Axel deal with Saïx while he…

He turned back toward the shower. Roxas now lay curled up in a tight ball, oblivious to the fact that the shower was still running. Bryan immediately went to find a towel. When he returned, Roxas was still curled on the floor.

"Roxas?" Bryan asked softly.

At the sound of his name being called, Roxas's head jerked up and he stared lifelessly at Bryan. Bryan recoiled, not prepared from the onslaught of emotions he felt from Roxas. There was fright, confusion, despair, so much pain it felt like Bryan had been punched in the gut. Bryan had to lean against the wall for support; his knees threatened to buckle beneath him. Roxas's eyebrows knit into a frown when he saw Bryan's reaction and Bryan _felt_ his confusion.

"Oh god," Bryan whispered as he realized what this meant.

There was no way this was happening. It was impossible, wasn't it? Yet somehow he knew that it was happening, that it was possible. How the fuck was he supposed to deal with this?

Bryan forced himself to straighten up and walk forward. He stepped into the shower, not caring that he was getting wet, and turned the shower off. Roxas was watching him, filled with anxiety.

"Here." He made sure to keep his tone gentle, reassuring, as he offered Roxas the towel.

"Thank you," Roxas said hoarsely, wrapping the towel around himself.

"Do you think you can walk?" Bryan asked.  
>Roxas bit his lip. "I'm…I'm not sure. It hurts." Tears appeared in the corners of his eyes.<p>

"I can help you, but you need to trust me, okay?" Bryan said.

Roxas let out a shaky breath. "I…I trust you. Axel said…he said you could be trusted and I trust him. You won't hurt me. I know it."

Several tears spilled out of his eyes now and he reached up with a shaking hand to wipe them away.

"I'm going to take you to Dr. Vexen," Bryan said. "Okay?"

Roxas nodded. "Wh…where's Axel?"

"He's um…" Bryan tried to choose his words carefully. "He's taking care of Saïx."

"O…Oh." Roxas seemed to realize what this meant because he paled. "Do…do you think he'll kill Saïx?"

"I'm not sure," Bryan answered truthfully.

He could feel Axel's unstoppable rage and it scared him. He had never known Axel to be so angry before and he didn't know what was going to happen as a result.

Roxas looked troubled Bryan's words, so he added, "I'm sure the guards won't let him. By the way, weren't you supposed to be escorted by a guard at all times?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded.

"Where is he?" Bryan asked.

"I don't know," Roxas answered. "He left me alone to let me change and he never came back."

"Damn it." Bryan ran his fingers through his hair in agitation. How could the guards screw up so badly? "We really need to get you to Dr. Vexen. Come on." He gently took Roxas's arm and helped him to his feet. "We're gonna take it nice and slow, okay?"

"Okay," Roxas replied.

They slowly walked out of the locker room and crossed the gym. Bryan hastily checked to see if there were any guards around before continuing down the hallway. He didn't want anyone to find them with Roxas in this condition. The guards would probably jump to conclusions and try to pin this on him. Bryan scowled. There was no way he was taking the blame for this one. He was sick of being the scapegoat.

Thankfully, the trip to the medical facility was uneventful and Bryan was able to escape the guards' detection. One extremely embarrassing conversation later, Bryan was leading Roxas into an examination room. Bryan had flat-out refused to leave Roxas and Roxas had been content to see him stay.

On the surface, Roxas appeared to be calm and handling things well, but Bryan could feel the torrent of emotions below, a turbulent mess of confusion, fear, pain, and sorrow that threatened to break Roxas apart. Mostly, Roxas just wanted Axel there. He wanted Axel so badly it made Bryan's chest hurt. But Roxas seemed soothed by Bryan's presence. Bryan was at a completely loss of what to do. His heart told him to seek Roxas out and make the connection, but he didn't know what that would do to Roxas's connection with Axel He had no experience in these matters and he didn't want to do anything that he would later regret.

He was extremely relieved when Dr. Vexen entered, his face full of worry.

"What happened?" he asked in a low, anxious voice.

Bryan told him—he didn't even wait for Roxas to start talking. He told the doctor everything he knew—from Axel's reaction in the cafeteria, to finding Roxas, and then Axel running after Saïx. Dr. Vexen was silent, frowning as his listened to Bryan's story. His expression didn't change until Bryan told him that he thought Roxas and Axel had Bonded.

"Are you sure?" he asked sharply

"Yes," Bryan whispered. "I'm positive." He refused to look at Roxas now. "Because I can feel Roxas now."

"What?" Dr. Vexen asked.

"Because I Bonded with Axel," Bryan answered without flinching. "It was unintentionally done, I assure you." Bryan wasn't sure if he was speaking to Dr. Vexen or Roxas now. "Axel has no idea the Bond even exists. I have made no attempt to seek him out to make the connection stable."

"What does that mean?" Roxas interrupted.

"It means that I can feel him, but he cannot feel me," Bryan answered.

"A one-way Bond," Dr. Vexen whispered in horror.

Bryan nodded. "And now I feel you too, Roxas."

Roxas frowned. "Why don't I feel you?"

"Because the Bond only goes one way," Dr. Vexen answered before Bryan could. "In order for you to be able to 'feel' Bryan, as you put it, you have to accept the Bond and then connect to him. Tell me, do you 'feel' Axel right now?"

"Um…" Roxas bit his lip. "I don't know."

"Close your eyes," Dr. Vexen urged. Roxas closed his eyes. "Now, I want you to relax. Take a couple deep breaths for me." He watched as Roxas started to slowly relax. "All right. Now I want you to tell me what you feel."

Roxas was silent for a few moments. When he spoke, it was almost as though he wasn't the one talking. "I feel…anger. Lots of rage. But there's also fear hidden farther below the surface. It's barely there, but I can still feel it."

He opened his eyes and looked at Dr. Vexen, tears streaming down his face.

"I don't believe it," Dr. Vexen murmured. He seemed to snap to attention. He crossed the room and opened the door. "I want you to go find Axel now. It's of utmost important." He paused. "I don't care! I want you to find him now! That's an order!" He returned, shaking his head in annoyance. "Well, while we're waiting on Axel, I might as well get the examination over with. I know you'd rather have Axel here when this happens, but we need to do this as soon as possible."

"Okay," Roxas said.

"Why don't you put this gown on while we wait outside?" Dr. Vexen suggested, handing Roxas a paper gown.

Roxas nodded. Bryan hesitated. He wasn't sure he wanted to leave Roxas alone, even if it was only for a couple minutes. Dr. Vexen put his hand on Bryan's shoulder.

"He'll be all right for a few minutes," he whispered. "Besides, I need to ask you a few questions and I'd rather ask them privately."

"All right," Bryan agreed.

He reluctantly followed Dr. Vexen out of the examination room and waited while Dr. Vexen closed the door.

"So, Bryan," Dr. Vexen said, turning to him. "How long have you been Bonded to Axel?"

"Four months," Bryan answered without looking at the doctor. "Since the day Axel tried to kill me."

"You never told anyone?" Dr. Vexen asked.

"Of course not," Bryan answered bitterly "I knew it was wrong. I knew Axel belonged to someone else. I knew what it meant and I was willing to accept that."

"What about now?" Dr. Vexen asked. "Are you still so certain?"

"Yes," Bryan whispered. "If another solution cannot be found, than I will accept my fate."

"An unaccepted Bond is excruciatingly painful. By the end, you will wish you were dead," Dr. Vexen warned.

"I know," Bryan replied. "I don't care."

"You say that now…" Dr. Vexen said.

"I'm not going to change my mind," Bryan said stubbornly. "My mind is made up."

Dr. Vexen regarded him sadly. "So be it."

They went back into the examination room. Roxas sat on the table, the towel he had been wrapped in discarded on the floor.

"All right, Roxas," Dr. Vexen said, crossing the room. "Before I begin, I need to know exactly what happened."

"Okay." Roxas took in a shuddering breath. His hands twisted together in his lap as he spoke. "I was…I was in the locker room after gym about to take a shower when I was grabbed from behind. A hand covered my mouth, stifling my scream. I…I was thrown into the shower wall. I hit my head and fell. Before I knew what was going on, Saïx had spread my legs and was inside me." He shuddered at the memory.

Even all the way across the room, his revulsion touched Bryan and he had to swallow a wave of bile.

"He touched me…" Roxas swallowed hard. "His hands were everywhere. I screamed and tried to cry for help, but he told me to shut up and hit me." His hand moved to his cheek, fingertips lightly brushing the bruise beginning to form. "I couldn't stop screaming. It hurt so badly."

"Do you know if…" Dr. Vexen hesitated for a moment. "Do you know if Saïx…ejaculated?"

Roxas flushed scarlet at the question and wrung his hands tightly in his lap. "Yes."

Dr. Vexen's expression never wavered. "I see." He nervously cleared his throat. "All right. I'm going to do a physical examination now."

He got up and pulled on a pair of rubber gloves. Bryan couldn't see what the doctor did, but he could feel Roxas's discomfort so he had a good idea of what was going on. And for some reason, he didn't like it. He clenched his fists tightly, willing himself to keep his temper under control. He closed his eyes and did not stir until he felt Axel growing closer.

Axel was extremely irritated, but Bryan could easily detect the underlying worry and anxiety. He longed to reach out to his friend and reassure him, but he didn't dare.

The door opened and Axel was led in by a guard. Bryan flinched when he saw him; Axel was covered in blood.

"What happened to you?" Roxas blurted out, unable to hide his surprise.

Axel smiled grimly. "You should see Saïx." There was a bit of satisfaction in his voice that made Bryan nervous.

Dr. Vexen did not look pleased to hear this. "What did you do?" He shook his head. "On second thought, I don't want to know." He turned to the guard standing beside Axel. "I want you to go find Saïx. Take some of my staff with you. Bring him back here so I can have a look at him."

Axel was pissed, but amazingly held his ground. The guard saluted and left. Dr. Vexen waited until he was gone before speaking.

"There is a lot we must discuss, Axel," he began. "Perhaps most important of all is something I believe you are already aware of."

Axel nodded. "The Bond."

So he knew. Bryan wasn't surprised that Axel was already aware of the connection between Roxas and himself. But he had no idea of what Dr. Vexen was about to tell him.

"Yes," Dr. Vexen said. "However, that's not the only thing. It seems…" he hesitated.

"Just tell me already!" Axel snapped.

Roxas shrank back at this outburst. Bryan flinched, but held his ground, already used to Axel's harsh anger.

"I am not sure how to put this…" Dr. Vexen murmured.

"Just tell him," Bryan said, his irritation growing. "Or perhaps you'd like me to tell him?"

"I'll do it," Dr. Vexen snapped. "I'm the doctor. It's my job." He turned to Axel. "This is not going to be easy for you to hear."

"Just spit it out already!" Axel snarled.

"Axel, it appears as though…Bryan has unintentionally Bonded with you," Dr. Vexen said.

Axel clearly wasn't expecting this. "Wh…what?"

"You are Bonded to Roxas and that Bond goes both ways, but Bryan has also Bonded to you," Dr. Vexen said.

"I…I don't understand," Axel stammered.

Dr. Vexen rolled his eyes. "Didn't they teach you about Bonds in your classes?"

"Yeah," Axel muttered. "But I don't really remember."

"Ugh." Dr. Vexen pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Bonds between mated pairs is extremely rare and aren't completely understood. What we do know, however, is that Bonds usually start one-sided with only one of the mates feeling the effects of that Bond. This one-way Bond is unstable and must be stabilized by the other partner.

"Usually, the mated with the Bond will seek out their partner and reach out to them. When the partner accepts this and returns the feelings, a complete Bond is formed. If, however, this does not occur, if the Bond remains one-sided, then the one who has initially formed the Bond will die."

Roxas and Axel gasped at this.

"This, of course presents us with a problem. If this Bond remains one-sided, then Bryan will die. This has been further complicated by the fact that Roxas and Axel have completely Bonded. Now normally, this would have dissolved the Bond Bryan had with Axel, but this did not happen. Instead, Bryan formed a Bond with Roxas as well, which means that he now has a one-way Bond with both of you."

"What?" Axel demanded.

Bryan couldn't look at him. "I'm so sorry, Axel. I didn't mean for this to happen. I've completely fucked everything up."

"What can we do?" Roxas asked.

"There are only two things you can do," Dr. Vexen answered. "You can either accept the Bond or not."

"What does that mean?" Axel asked.

Bryan flinched at the harshness in his voice.

"If you choose to accept the Bond, then both of you will be Bonded to him and he to both of you. It will be a three-way Bond, unusual, but stable," Dr. Vexen answered.

"And if not?" Axel asked.

"Then you and Roxas remained Bonded as normal. You will not feel any ill effects, but Bryan will," Dr. Vexen replied.

"And he'll die?" Roxas asked quietly.

"I'm afraid so." Dr. Vexen nodded. "But not before suffering greatly. The death is slow and excruciating." Roxas and Axel looked at each other for a long time. "Please, take your time and think about it. This is a huge decision that needs to be made."

"Can we have some time alone to talk about it?" Axel asked.

"Yes, of course," Dr. Vexen answered. "I'll be back in a little while."

Bryan knew even before Dr. Vexen left that both Roxas and Axel had made up their minds.

"You don't have to do this," he hissed once the door had closed. "You have a chance to live a normal life. Who knows if this will even work or what effect the three-way Bond will have on you."

"Shut up," Axel growled, moving forward. "Shut the fuck up!" Bryan shrank back now, Axel's anger hitting him hard.

"Axel, stop!" Roxas cried out. "Can't you see you're hurting him?"

This caused Axel to stop in his tracks. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Bryan said.

Axel shook his head. "It's not okay. You shouldn't be forced into this."

"Me?" Bryan laughed hollowly. "What about you? _You_ shouldn't have to do this. Neither should Roxas. You shouldn't have to pay for my mistake."

"Is that what it was?" Axel's voice was deadly quiet. "Just a mistake to you?"

"Of course not." Bryan couldn't hide the hurt in his voice. "I wouldn't have Bonded to you if I hadn't thought it was a mistake. But we can't do this."

"Yes we can," Axel countered. "We _will_ do this."

"How will it work?" Bryan asked.

"We'll figure something out. We'll make it work," Axel answered.

"I…I can't do it." Bryan's voice wavered. "I can't force you into this. It's not right."

"Letting you die isn't right either," Axel said.

"But…" Bryan protested.

He was silenced by Axel, who pressed two fingers to his lips.

"Roxas and I want to do this. Don't question it," Axel said softly.

Bryan looked at Roxas, who regarded him sadly. He didn't understand! He was almost a complete stranger to Roxas and yet Roxas was willing to bind himself to him forever.

"Bry, please," Axel whispered, taking his hand. "I don't want to lose you. Let us Bond with you."

Bryan swallowed hard and forced back tears. "I feel so selfish for asking this of you."

"You're not," Axel said gently.

"I don't want you to hate me." Bryan barely managed to get the words out.

"Never," Axel declared.

And he kissed Bryan.

Bryan tried to pull away, mindful that Roxas was watching them, but Axel tightly held onto him. At last, Axel pulled his mouth away, though he still held onto Bryan.

"Accept it," Axel whispered.

"But I…" the words caught in Bryan's throat. "I'm damaged goods."

"So am I," Axel whispered, gently cupping his cheek.

Bryan turned his head away and closed his eyes, unable to look at Axel. He didn't open his eyes again until he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. His breath caught in his throat as he realized that Roxas had gotten up and now embraced him. He slowly exhaled as he finally accepted it. He opened his eyes and looked at Axel, smiling faintly. He nodded. Axel smiled back at him and then drew him in close. Roxas rested his head on Bryan's back. Bryan had never felt so warm before, so accepted.

He began to cry.

Author's Notes

Well that turned out a heck of a lot different this time. I made it clear right away who was raping Roxas. There wasn't really any reason to hide it. Then there's the fact that Axel and Roxas have Bonded. It was sort of hinted at in the first draft, but this time I wanted to make it absolutely clear.

Bryan Bonding to Roxas was completely unexpected. But it makes sense since Roxas and Axel have Bonded. But it makes things a lot more complicated. Just how complicated will be made clear later.

I realized I made a huge error when talking about the music I listened to in the last chapter. The songs I listed for Chapter 27 were actually for Chapter 28. The songs for Chapter 27 were:

A Night on Bald Mountain (Fantasia)-scene right before entering the High Council's chambers.

Rinzler (Tron Legacy)-The High Council's theme.

Sorry about that.

Please don't kill me? You won't be able to find out what happens if you kill me.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Dr. Vexen nervously paced around the small hallway outside the examination room where Roxas was being held. He had long finished patching Saïx up, but he couldn't bring himself to go in. He wasn't sure why. Was it because he was afraid of what he would find?

If Roxas and Axel rejected Bryan's Bond, then Bryan would die a slow, excruciating death. If they accepted it…

Things would become even more complicated.

They would have a stable Bond, but they would face scorn from their peers as well as the rest of the world in general, who didn't understand. Polygamy was something that had been frowned upon since the Old Days. It had been a highly controversial topic back then and still remained one today. Dr. Vexen only hoped that if they chose to enter a three-way Bond that they were able to cope with the stigma that came with it.

Steeling himself, Dr. Vexen forced himself to knock on the door and then enter the room. His breath caught in his throat when he saw what was waiting for him.

Roxas sat on the examination table as before, but now Axel and Bryan stood on either side of him like sentinels. Each of them held one of Roxas's hands, their fingers entwined. The three looked up as one and Dr. Vexen knew what had taken place.

He nervously cleared his throat. "I uh…don't need to ask what you decided, do I?" He received no response. "Well, I think you'll be all right, Roxas, but I want to keep you here in the medical facility overnight just to be certain."

"Okay," Roxas whispered.

Dr. Vexen looked at Axel and Bryan. "The two of you are welcome to stay with him, if you wish." Bryan and Axel both nodded. "Very well. I'll have two cots brought into Roxas's room for you."

Axel and Bryan merely nodded. Dr. Vexen left. Bryan, Axel, and Roxas all remained completely still until a nurse came in with a wheelchair. Bryan and Axel reluctantly let go of Roxas's hands and stepped back out of the way as the nurse helped Roxas into the wheelchair.

Roxas was put in a large private room. As promised, Dr. Vexen had had two cots brought in. The nurse pursed her lips at the sight, but didn't say anything. She silently helped Roxas into the bed and made sure he was comfortable before leaving. Axel and Bryan immediately moved to Roxas's side, Axel on one side, Bryan on the other.

They seemed to know what Roxas wanted without anything being said. They shed their boots and crawled into bed with Roxas. It took a bit of shuffling, but at last, they were able to find a comfortable position with Roxas curled up between his two mates.

To say Zack was nervous was a gross understatement. He was fucking scared about what he had to do. But there was no way around it; Cloud _had_ to know about what had happened to Roxas. It was his right as Roxas's father. That was the agreement The Institute had reached: the parents of the Bearers would remain aloof, but they would be informed of anything out of the ordinary that happened to their children.

And so it fell to Zack to inform Cloud that his son had been raped by Zexion's mate and also that he had Bonded not only with Axel but with Axel's friend Bryan as well. Zack still wasn't sure how the Bonding had happened; that information was being kept under wraps for the most part right now. The Breeders and Bearers would be told eventually; there would be no way to hide that fact forever, but for now, almost no one was to know what had happened.

Zack sighed and knocked on Cloud's door. A few moments passed and then Cloud answered the door.

Cloud frowned when he saw Zack. "Zack? What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting-"

"We need to talk," Zack cut him off mid-sentence.

"O…okay," Cloud said. He let Zack in "What do you want?"

"You should probably sit down." Zack gestured to the couch.

Cloud sat, though Zack remained standing.

"What's going on, Zack?" Cloud asked. "You're usually not like this."

"Cloud, I have something to tell you and you're probably not going to like it," Zack began in a gentle tone. "You've gotta stay calm no matter what, okay?"

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked. He suddenly looked panicked. "Is it Roxas? Is there something wrong with my son?"

"Cloud…" Zack knew there was no easy way to tell him. "Roxas…he was…aw fuck. Roxas was raped."

"Wh…what?" Cloud stammered, leaning back in his seat. "Are you…are you serious?"

"Yes." Zack nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so. The guard with him left for a few moments to let him change and…well the details are still a bit sketchy, but Roxas was cornered by Zexion's mate in the showers and raped."

Cloud went completely still, his posture extremely rigid. Then, his face darkened and he got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Zack called as Cloud started for the door.

Cloud stopped and turned around. "I'm going to find the son of a bitch who did this to my son and kill him."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Zack chased him down the hallway.

He grabbed Cloud by the arm and tried to pull him back to his apartment, but to no avail.

"Let go of me!" Cloud spat, wrenching his arm free.

"Cloud, you can't!" Zack protested, chasing after Cloud once more.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't," Cloud challenged.

"Axel already took care of him," Zack said coldly. "He beat the shit out of Saïx."

This stopped Cloud in his tracks. "Really?"

"Yeah." Zack nodded. "If the guards hadn't intervened, Axel probably would have killed him."

Cloud weakly sank against the wall. "Oh my god. Wh…why was he so violent?"

"There's more that I need to tell you," Zack said gently. "Let's go back to your apartment."

Cloud nodded so Zack led him back to his apartment and helped him sit on the couch again, then sat next to him.

"All right." Zack reached over and gently took Cloud's hand. "The reason that Axel reacted so violently to Roxas's rape is because…he and Roxas have Bonded."

"Wh…what?" Cloud stammered. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." Zack nodded. It's hard to believe, but it's true. But that's not all that happened."

"What else happened?" Cloud asked.

Zack squeezed Cloud's hand. "Roxas has Bonded with Axel's friend Bryan as well."

"He…what?" Cloud's face paled. "Is that even possible?"

"Apparently it is," Zack said.

"How does that even work?" Cloud asked.

"I don't know," Zack replied "They're trying to keep quiet about it right now so no one really knows how it happened, just that it happened."

Cloud was silent for a long time, eyes wide with shock.

Zack gently squeezed his hand again. "You don't need to take action against Saïx. Axel has already done so and the High Council will also take action."

"Are you so sure of that?" Cloud asked coolly.

"Yes," Zack answered. "You must have faith, Cloud. The High Council is strict and will not take this action against your son lightly. Saïx's punishment will be severe."

"All right," Cloud reluctantly agreed. "I will trust the High Council on this, but if they do not do anything against Saïx, then I will make him pay myself. If necessary, I will kill him."

Zack smiled. "I'd say that's fair."

He didn't tell Cloud that if the High Council remained idle and did not punish Saïx appropriately, he himself was planning to take action and he knew of many others who would stand with him if it came to that.

Zack only hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Once again, Dr. Vexen found himself outside Roxas's room. He knew he didn't have to be here right now, but he felt compelled to go check on the young boy. He knew how devastating rape could be and how its victims could have trouble adjusting. He was also concerned about how Roxas, Axel, and Bryan were adjusting to their three-way Bond.

He knocked on the door and then went in. He stopped and stared at the scene in front of him. Roxas was curled up between Bryan and Axel. His head rested on Axel's chest and Bryan rested his head on Roxas's back. Axel's arms were wrapped around Roxas, his fingers entwined with Bryan's. All three of them slept peacefully.

Smiling, Dr. Vexen backed out of the room, gently closing the door behind him. He knew that he didn't need to worry; despite everything that had happened, the three of them were going to be all right. They would work through this issue together and find a way to make it work. Both Axel and Bryan were extremely stubborn. They would protect Roxas no matter what. Axel already showed signs of being fiercely protective of Roxas and Bryan…well Bryan was still somewhat of an enigma, but Dr. Vexen was confident that he would warm up to Roxas with time. Roxas couldn't have asked for better mates. He turned around and jumped as he came face-to-face with Director Xemnas.

"D…Director," he stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to interview Roxas and Bryan," Director Xemnas answered coolly.

"N…now?" Dr. Vexen asked.

"Is there a problem?" Director Xemnas wanted to know.

"Actually, yes." Dr. Vexen took a steadying breath. "This isn't a good time."

Director Xemnas scowled. "And why not?"

"Because Roxas and Bryan are both asleep," Dr. Vexen answered.

"Well wake them up," Director Xemnas said shortly. "This can't wait."

"I'm afraid it'll have to," Dr. Vexen replied. "I'm not waking them up.

"Do it!" Director Xemnas roared.

Dr. Vexen flinched, but stood his ground. "No. I will not permit you to question them right now. They have been through a lot already today and they need time to adjust to everything. I fear that if you question them now, it'll only upset them even more."

"I understand that," Director Xemnas said. "However, we don't have the luxury of time right now. I need to know what happened while it's still fresh in their minds."

"I have already spoken to both Bryan and Roxas about what happened and I have a record of their testimony," Dr. Vexen said. "If you have any more questions after reading my report, then I will allow you to question them, but for now, I ask you to give them some space."

"I am the Director. You have no right to refuse me entry," Director Xemnas spat, moving forward.

Dr. Vexen stepped in front of the door, blocking Director Xemnas's path. "You may be the Director of The Institute, but I am their doctor and as such, I have the right to reuse entry to my patient's room, regardless of who they are. Now get out!"

Director Xemnas's face turned bright red and for a moment, Dr. Vexen was afraid he was going to hit him, but he turned away in disgust.

"Fine," Director Xemnas muttered. "I won't forget this."

He stalked away. Dr. Vexen let out a sigh of relief and sank against the wall. He knew he shouldn't have angered Director Xemnas like that, but he couldn't help trying to protect Roxas, Axel, and Bryan. What he told Director Xemnas was absolutely true; right now, the three of them needed space to deal with everything that had happened and he would do everything he could to make sure they got what they needed, deal or no deal.

Zexion was not expecting to be called out of his afternoon class. Confused, he gathered his things and followed the young guard who had come for him down the hallways.

"What's going on?" he dared to ask.

"Director Xemnas needs to speak with you," the guard answered.

"Does…does this have to do with Roxas?" Zexion asked.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so." The guard nodded somberly.

Zexion felt his breath leave him for a moment. They had been told at the beginning of their afternoon lesson what had happened to Roxas and Zexion had felt sick to his stomach. It was a miracle he was able to keep his lunch down. He silently grieved for his friend, though he tried hard to not show it and felt his heart slowly breaking under the knowledge that Roxas had been caused so much pain. But what did that have to do with him aside from the fact that Roxas was one of his best friends at The Institute? He didn't understand until the guard brought him into Director Xemnas's office and he saw. He felt faint and had to lean against the wall for support.

"Oh Saïx," he breathed. "What have you done?"

Author's Notes

What, indeed? Not really a whole lot for me to say about this chapter except my choice in music. There was one song in particular that I listened to and that's Fate of the Unknown from the Kingdom Hearts OST. I listened to that during the scene where Cloud is told about Roxas's rape and subsequent attempted rampage of revenge. I felt it was very fitting.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Saïx stood in front of Director Xemnas's desk handcuffed and surrounded by guards. He didn't even glance at Zexion as he came to stand next to him.

"I think I have made my point," a red-faced Director Xemnas said. "I have already contacted the High Council and they have been informed of the situation. You will stand charges for your blatant disrespect of The Institute's most sacred rule. Until then, you are to remain in confinement. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir," Saïx murmured.

The guards led him out. Zexion couldn't help gasping as Saïx turned around; Saïx's face was heavily bandaged. He had heard rumors that Axel had gone after him after finding out that he had raped Roxas, but what had he done to cause such injury to Saïx? Part of Zexion wanted to know, but another part of him, a larger part, didn't. He quickly adverted his gaze and did not dare look up until Saïx had gone.

Director Xemnas surveyed Zexion carefully. "Ah Zexion. I'm glad you're here."

"Director I…" Zexion stopped talking and sighed.

He had no idea where he would even start.

"Zexion, I want you to know that it's very likely that Saïx will be executed," Director Xemnas interrupted.

"Oh god," Zexion whispered.

"The High Council will not tolerate his actions. I am quite certain that he will not be allowed to live," Director Xemnas said. "However, in the event that Saïx is allowed to live…"

"He will never touch me again," Zexion said before Director Xemnas could finish. "I will never allow him near my body again."

"That is not your decision to make," Director Xemnas said coldly.

"I don't care!" Zexion shouted. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the guard with him tense slightly, but chose to ignore him. "I don't give a fuck what you say! I will never let him near me again! He is a cold, heartless monster and I will never forgive him for what he did to Roxas!"

His throat constricted and he choked back a sob. Director Xemnas rose and for a moment, Zexion thought for sure he was going to hit him, but he didn't.

"I will make myself very clear," Director Xemnas said in a hard voice. "You do not have a choice in the matter. Saïx is and will remain your mate unless he is executed. And if that happens, you will be assigned a new mate. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir," Zexion said coldly.

He turned and without another word, walked out of the room. He didn't make it very far before he felt his legs give out and he leaned against the wall to keep himself from collapsing.

"Zexion?" a quiet voice caused Zexion to turn around. The guard who had been escorting him for the day stepped forward, wearing a concerned expression. "Are you all right?"

Zexion shook his head, unable to speak. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he muffled a sob with his hand. The guard stepped forward and hesitated momentarily before wrapping his arms around him.

"Shh," he murmured in Zexion's ear. "It's going to be okay."

Zexion wished he could believe him, but he couldn't see how things would ever be all right again.

_He was back in the locker room, being violated by Saïx. Only it didn't ever seem to stop. Saïx continued to thrust, each one more painful than the last. Roxas tried to scream, call for help, but no sound came from his throat. _

_At last, Saïx withdrew and shoved Roxas away from him. Roxas hit the wall hard and crumpled into a ball._

"_So weak," Saïx sneered. _

_Then he was right next to Roxas, tilting his head back so his throat was exposed. _

"_This is our little secret," Saïx whispered huskily, bringing their lips together. _

_Roxas didn't know about the knife until he felt its cool metal tip slide across his throat. He opened his mouth for a soundless scream as blood began to gush out. _

"Roxas! Roxas!"

Roxas's eyes snapped open, lungs constricting. He lay absolutely still for a few moments, trying to control his breathing. His stomach churned unpleasantly and he fought to keep the little dinner he had been able to stomach down. The nausea grew and he bolted from the bed, scrambling over a confused Bryan and the bed's railing.

"Roxas!" Axel called after him.

Roxas didn't stop until he reached the small bathroom. He slipped and almost didn't make it to the toilet in time. He dropped to his knees, lifted the lid, and vomited. Trembling, he held the sides of the porcelain bowl to try and keep himself up as he vomited again. He flinched when he felt a hand on his back, but it was only Axel. He heaved again, but nothing came up. There were hands in his hair, gently keeping it out of the way. Bryan.

He was able to stop heaving and straightened up. Someone pushed a cup at him. Surprised, he looked up at Axel. He hadn't even heard his mate move away from him.

"Drink this," Axel said softly. "Use it to wash out your mouth. Trust me, it'll make you feel better."

Roxas nodded and took a sip of the cool water. He rinsed the biter vomit taste out of his mouth and began to feel a little better.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Axel asked.

Roxas nodded and lowered the cup to speak. He told them everything he could remember about the dream. Neither of them spoke, but they didn't need to. Roxas bowed his head, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. He felt so pathetic falling apart like this. Why couldn't he been stronger? If he had been stronger, maybe Saïx wouldn't have been able to take advantage of him like he did.

"You're not pathetic." Axel's voice startled Roxas and he looked up at his mate. Axel gently cupped his cheek. "You aren't pathetic for feeling like this. It may not make you feel better about yourself, but…I know what it feels like."

"What?" Roxas asked, astonished.

Axel brushed his bangs out of his eyes, looking troubled. "I was raped."

Roxas inhaled sharply and turned to Bryan, who nodded, then looked back at Axel.

"My father sold me when I was six to a man named Ryan," Axel continued.

"Sold…?" Roxas breathed.

"As a slave, yes." Axel smiled bitterly. "I only stayed with Ryan for a few weeks because I was too much for him to handle. He tried to break me. I refused to submit. I was a…very spirited child." The bitter smile widened. "He sold me to a man named Sephiroth who started molesting me. I still wouldn't break so he finally raped me. I was eleven."

"Oh my god," Roxas whispered, hardly daring to believe it.

Axel looked at him sadly. "I know what it's like to be raped, to have your dignity taken away."

"Does it ever get better?" Roxas asked, eyes brimming with tears.

"With time, yes." Axel nodded. "It'll take a while, but you will start feeling better. I promise. You don't ever really get over it, but you learn to deal with it."

Zack sped along the highway. It was nearly midnight and the air was hot and sticky. He was jittery from all the coffee he had consumed; he had lost count after a while exactly how many cups he had drunk. He needed the caffeine though, if he was going to make it to his destination. It was a long fucking drive, but he needed to be there in person to tell the man what had happened. He didn't dare tell him over the phone; Zack knew how volatile his temper was.

Once again, he hated being the bearer of bad news, but he had no other choice. He had been lucky the man hadn't been told when Director Xemnas had contacted the High Council; only the head had been told due to how late it was. The other members were going to be told at the High Council's morning meeting at eight, so Zack had to get to the man before that, tell him, and hopefully keep him from doing anything stupid.

Zack was making good time; he had left The Institute two hours ago and he was already halfway here. The drive from The Institute to the Capital usually took eight hours. Zack was hoping to make it in four.

He kept a lookout for the Police Force, but no one was out this late. He was very grateful for this; he could drive at 90 miles an hour without getting a speeding ticket.

He made it to the Capital in record time and hardly slowed his pace as he wove his way through the streets. The traffic was light this late so it only took Zack a few minutes to get to the man's new apartment.

As part of his cover, the man had moved into the real Rusty's apartment, which meant that he was farther away from The Institute. He had only taken a few things with him, leaving everything else at his old apartment, which was being looked after by one of his friends.

The man's new apartment complex was remarkably different than the old one. It was in a better part of town, newer, and much more luxurious. Zack had to deal with a doorman who gave him a funny look, but let him in all the same. There was a large, lavishly decorated lobby with marble floors inlaid with gold and large potted plants. Zack crossed the lobby and pressed the elevator call button. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and debated just taking the stairs when the elevator arrived. Even the interior of the elevator was lavishly decorated. With a roll of his eyes, Zack jabbed the button for the 6th floor and waited for to be taken up.

The man's apartment (Rusty—he had to call him Rusty now) was halfway down the hall. Zack knocked on the door and waited. He nervously glanced around the hallway, paranoid that he had been followed, but there was no one there.

He turned back as the door opened and silently entered. Rusty closed the door behind him and locked it for good measure. Zack had called him and warned him that he was coming, though he hadn't explained why. Zack peeled off his helmet and hung it on a hook next to the door and politely removed his boots.

When he entered the living room, Rusty was already fixing a drink at the bar. Zack sank down on one of the plush couches and waited for Rusty to bring him a drink. He downed it in one gulp, the alcohol burning his throat. Rusty sat across from him, watching him. It took a few moments for Zack to realize that "Rusty" wasn't wearing his color contacts.

"So?" Rusty asked quietly.

Zack took a deep breath. "You aren't gonna like what I'm about to tell you, but I've gotta tell you. You're gonna find out anyway, but I think you'd better hear it from me."

Rusty scowled. "What do you gotta tell me that's so bad you had to drive all the way here and tell me, in the middle of the night, no less?"

"Roxas was raped," Zack said.

"He…what?" Rusty demanded.

"He was cornered in the showers by Saïx and raped," Zack said.

"Saïx…" Rusty frowned. "Zexion's mate?"

"Yeah." Zack nodded.

"Fuck," Rusty muttered. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. FUCK!"

"Easy," Zack warned. Rusty glared at him, but Zack didn't back down, not this time. "I know you're really upset. Hell, I know I am…"

"The fuck do you know about it?" Rusty spat.

Zack bristled at this. "I happen to care about him quite a bit. But I know as well as you do that now is not the time for rash actions. Our cover must not be blown before the time is right. If it is, everything we've worked for will have been in vain. Do you want that? Do you really want that?"

Rusty leaned back in his seat with a sigh. "No. You're right. I'm sorry."

"It's cool." Zack waved away the apology.

"How…how is Roxas doing?" Rusty asked after a brief silence.

"About as well as you would expect someone in his position to be doing," Zack replied.

Rusty winced. "That bad, huh?"

Zack nodded. "But at least he has Bryan and Axel to help him through this."

"Wait…what?" Rusty blinked in confusion.

"I didn't tell you, did I? Roxas, Axel, and Bryan Bonded," Zack said.

"Hold on. Roxas, Axel, and Bryan Bonded?" Rusty asked. "All three of them…together?"

"It's weird, isn't it?" Zack chuckled at Rusty's dumbfounded expression. "But yeah. They have a three-way Bond."

"Is that even allowed?" Rusty asked.

"Director Xemnas has no choice but to accept it," Zack answered. "Bonds are final. Once they've been accepted by both mates—or in this case all three mates, nothing can change it. They're literally bound together for life. Only death will separate them now."

"And they're all okay with this?" Rusty asked.

"They weren't really given a choice, but so far, they seem pretty okay about it." Zack shrugged. "I only got a brief glimpse of them before I came here, but they seemed okay."

"How did it happen?" Rusty questioned. "Was it…?"

"Bryan and Axel," Zack replied. "That's what I've been able to gather about the circumstances. I don't know for sure because it's being kept quiet right now, but I'm guessing that Bryan accidentally Bonded with Axel, though it was an incomplete Bond. Then when Axel and Roxas Bonded, Bryan found that he had Bonded with Roxas as well. That's what I think, at least."

"Fuck," Rusty muttered, running his fingers through his shortened hair. "Everything is getting screwed up now, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Zack agreed darkly. "But we can still make this work, can't we?"

"We have to," Rusty said. "There's no way we can leave Bryan behind."

"And we won't," Zack said firmly. "We will make this work. Somehow."

"I hope you're right, Zack," Rusty said. "For all our sakes."

"Me too," Zack whispered.

Author's Notes

I decided to try something a little different with Roxas's nightmare. Instead of it being exactly what happened to him, I decided to play with it a little bit and make it more about what he was afraid of.

I listened to Haunted by Evanescence while writing the nightmare scene. And then I switched to Roxas Theme (Orchestral) by Drammatica while writing the scene where Roxas wakes up from the nightmare and is comforted by Axel and Bryan.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

When Roxas woke up the next morning, he immediately knew something was wrong. Yawning, he lifted his head and looked around, trying to figure out what it was. Then, he realized that Bryan wasn't there. He turned to Axel, who lay on his side, watching him.

"Bryan…?" Roxas asked.

"He left to move his things into our apartment," Axel answered. "He'll meet us there."

"O…oh." Roxas frowned.

"Is something wrong?" Axel asked.

"I just didn't realize it would be so soon," Roxas murmured.

"Yeah." Axel nodded. "They wanted him to move his stuff while the Breeders were at breakfast so there wouldn't be a fuss."

"I guess that makes sense," Roxas said.

There was a soft knock on the door and then it opened. A nurse came in wearing a broad smile.

"It's time for breakfast," she said, carefully balancing a pair of trays in each hand.

She set the trays on the table next to the bed and waited patiently for Roxas and Axel to sit up and make themselves comfortable. She swiveled the table over the bed so Roxas and Axel could eat.

"I'll be back a bit later to get those out of the way for you," she said.

She left. Axel started on his meal and then stopped when he realized that Roxas was barely touching his food.

"What's wrong?" he asked, turning to his mate. "Aren't you hungry?"

Roxas shook his head. "Not really."

"Why not?" Axel said.

"I dunno," Roxas mumbled. "I'm just not hungry right now."

Axel pursed his lips, but didn't say anything. He didn't need to; Roxas already knew he was displeased. He tried to eat. Axel could see that he was really trying, but the plate was still half full when the nurse cleared it away. She noticed and frowned, but didn't say anything either. She came back a few moments later.

"I'm going to take your vitals now, okay?" she asked.

"Okay." Roxas nodded.

Axel reluctantly got up and moved out of the way while the nurse took Roxas's vital signs.

"Dr. Vexen will be in shortly to have a look at you," she said when she had finished.

Roxas gave her a puzzled look. "Why?"

"He just wants to make sure that you're all right before you're released from the medical facility," the nurse answered.

Roxas and Axel shared a confused look as the nurse left. Several minutes later, there was another knock on the door and then Dr. Vexen came in.

"Hello Roxas," he said, smiling. "How are you doing this morning?"

"I'm all right I guess," Roxas mumbled.

Dr. Vexen's smile faded. "You guess? That's not really reassuring. Is everything all right?"

"I don't know," Roxas said. "I guess."

Dr. Vexen turned to Axel. "Would it be okay if you waited outside while I examine him?"

"I…guess," Axel said reluctantly, glancing at Roxas.

"I'll be okay," Roxas said, trying to smile.

"All right." Axel briefly kissed his mate on the lips. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

"I know," Roxas whispered.

Axel kissed him one more, just because he could, then reluctantly left the room. He paced around the narrow hallway, trying to keep his temper. It was difficult, but he had to try for Roxas's sake. He tried not to let Roxas's emotions bother him. It wasn't Roxas's fault that he couldn't control his emotions and they trickled through their Bond. With time, he would learn how to better control his emotions, and they wouldn't have a problem. Until then, they would just have to deal with it.

He was relieved when the door to Roxas's room opened and Dr. Vexen exited, quietly closing the door behind him. He turned and jumped when he saw Axel standing there.

"Roxas is dressing. He'll be out in a few minutes," he said, trying to regain his composure. "Physically, he's healthy, but mentally, he's not as stable. It's going to take him a lot longer to recover."

"Yes, I know," Axel said quietly.

"Ah yes, that's right." Dr. Vexen nervously cleared his throat. "I forgot that you too know what it's like to be violated like that."

"Yes." Axel wrung his hands together.

"Take care of him," Dr. Vexen said quietly. "Be supportive of him. He needs that right now more than anything."

"I know." Axel couldn't help feeling a stab of irritation; he already knew everything Dr. Vexen was telling him.

"Let me know at once if he continues to refuse meals," Dr. Vexen continued. "It'll be easier if you tell one of the guards and they'll tell me."

"All right. I understand," Axel replied.

Dr. Vexen gave him a smile and walked off. Axel turned as he heard the door to Roxas's room open. Roxas walked out, his gaze directed at the floor.

"Are you ready to go?" Axel asked.

Roxas looked up at him, his face unnaturally pale. "Yeah."

Axel held out his hand. Roxas stared at it for a moment before smiling and taking it. Their fingers entwined as they walked down the hallway, escorted by a pair of guards, who met them at the end of the hallway.

Bryan was waiting for them when they returned to their apartment.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," Roxas responded with a small smile. "You all moved in?"

"Yup." Bryan nodded.

"That's good," Roxas said.

There was a knock on the door. A young guard came in.

"Director Xemnas would like to see the three of you before you go to your lessons," he said.

Bryan, Axel, and Roxas shared a confused look before following the guard out of the apartment. None of them spoke as they walked down the hallways, their fingers entwined.

Director Xemnas sat in his usual seat when the three of them entered his office, facing the large windows. He turned his chair around so he was facing them and regarded them thoughtfully.

"Hello Axel, Roxas, Bryan," he said quietly. "I hope you are doing better today?"

Bryan and Axel immediately looked over at Roxas, who said, "I'm doing a bit better."

"Well that's good to hear." Director Xemnas smiled warmly. "Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I called you here today." Roxas, Axel, and Bryan nodded. "Well, I just wanted to talk to you about what's going to happen from now on.

"You'll still go to your lessons as normal, but you'll be able to eat your meals together and you'll be given time to spend together during your breaks. I have already spoken to your teachers and they are aware of the situation. They will speak about what has happened in your afternoon lessons today. I feel like I should warn you that it will be awkward. However, my staff and I will do everything we possibly can to help you get through this, all right?" Bryan, Roxas, and Axel nodded wordlessly. "Good. You may go. Guards will escort you to your lesson."

Almost as if they had known they were being summoned, a pair of guards appeared at the door. Roxas immediately recognized Zack, who winked at him. He stuck close to his mates as they approached the classroom. He really did not want to go in there and face his peers.

Axel, sensing his anxiety, gently squeezed his hand.

"It'll be all right," Bryan murmured as they stopped in front of the classroom door. "You've nothing to be ashamed of."

Zack knocked on the door and opened it. The lesson was already well underway when they stepped in, though the teacher had stopped his lecture and stared along with the rest of the class. Roxas swallowed hard and just stared back at everyone. Beside him, Axel bristled, annoyed by all the stares, and Bryan was equally as annoyed.

"Well go on," the other guard escorting them snapped.

Axel rolled his eyes and took the lead, pulling Roxas and Bryan along with him. He gave Roxas's hand one last squeeze before letting go and heading to his seat. Roxas thought Bryan would do the same, but he didn't. Instead, he forced Roxas to turn around and kissed him. The immediate reaction was an outburst of whispering. Roxas felt his cheeks grow hot as the kiss intensified. He didn't understand why Bryan was doing this.

"Just givin' them something to talk about," Bryan muttered in his ear. "Not going to be ashamed of what happened."

He grinned at Roxas and then headed to his seat on the Breeders' side of the room.

Zack gently touched Roxas on the shoulder and nervously cleared his throat. "Uh, you should probably take your seat."

Roxas nodded absently and allowed Zack to lead him to his seat. An explosion of whispers and dumbfounded stares followed him. He refused to meet any of their gazes, not even Zexion or Demyx's. He took his usual seat in the back of the classroom, Zack sitting in the vacant chair next to him.

"All right, let's have order in here now," the teacher snapped. The classroom fell silent at once. "Now, as I was saying…"

Roxas rested his chin in the palm of his hand and tried to pay attention to the teacher's lecture. He didn't see why he had to pay attention in the first place; they were tested on the material they learned and received grades in the class, but in the long run, it didn't really matter. He tried to resist the urge to look over at the Breeders' side of the room. He could barely see Bryan and Axel anyway through all the guards that stood between the Bearers and Breeders.

Sighing, Roxas turned his attention back to the day's lecture. Today was Thursday, which mean that the morning lesson was English. The teacher was lecturing about grammar. Again. Everything he said Roxas already knew from his education on the Outside. What was the point of paying attention?

He was extremely glad when the lesson finally ended and they were dismissed for their break before Gym. Roxas didn't even realize what that meant until he was at the locker room door. He stopped short, his breath catching in his throat

"Roxas? You all right?" Beside him, Zack frowned.

"Y…yeah," Roxas managed to stammer.

He raised his hand to push the door open, but halted. He took a deep breath, his heart beating wildly in his chest. Again, he raised his hand to open the door, but something stopped him.

Roxas turned to Zack. "I can't go in there."

Zack looked at him, puzzled. "Why not?"

"Because…because…" Roxas faltered, unable to say it. He shook his head desperately.

Zack seemed to understand. "I'll talk to your teacher and see if it's okay if you don't change today. All right?"

Roxas nodded. All of a sudden, he was extremely tired and wanted to do nothing more than crawl into bed and sleep, preferably for a year or two. When he told Zack this, the young guard just shook his head sadly.

"I know you're tired," he said. "But you've gotta make it through the rest of your lessons at least, all right? It's very important for you to go to your afternoon lessons."

"Why?" Roxas asked curiously.

"Because your teacher is going to help you understand your Bond better," Zack answered.

Roxas sighed. "All right, I'll go."

"Good," Zack smiled at him. "Now stay here, all right? I'll be right back."

"No don't leave me!" Roxas protested, rushing forward. Zack stared at him. "The last time I was left alone, Saïx…he…" His breath hitched.

"All right," Zack said soothingly. "You can come with me."

Roxas silently followed Zack to Larxene's office. Zack knocked on the open door.

"Enter," Larxene's voice boomed out.

Zack glanced at Roxas for a moment before ushering him into the office. Larxene sat behind her desk, an open folder in front of her. She looked up when they entered.

"What can I do for you?" she asked.

Zack glanced at Roxas again, who didn't seem to want to say anything, so he decided to speak instead. "Well, Roxas isn't…isn't feeling too well. Is it okay if he sits out today?"

"O…okay." Larxene looked surprised, but didn't ask any questions.

Zack led Roxas back out to the gym and they sat together against the wall. The Breeders were beginning to arrive, which meant that the Bearers wouldn't be far behind. Axel immediately made a beeline for Roxas, Bryan following behind. Several guards chased after them, but Zack got to his feet, and shooed them away. Axel kneeled beside Roxas, who sat with his knees pulled up to his chest, and started talking to him in a quiet voice. Bryan meanwhile, jogged over to Zack, who was slowly returning to the trio.

"What the hell is going on?" Bryan demanded.

"Uh…" Zack said, taken aback by Bryan's uncharacteristic display of anger. "I dunno what happened. When we went to go in the locker room, he just sort of froze and refused to go in there. He was really freaked out about it and he went really pale. I thought for a moment that he was going to faint."

Bryan frowned and turned away. Zack followed his gaze. Bryan was staring at Roxas and Axel, though Zack didn't know why. Bryan stood still for a few moments, frowning thoughtfully, then joined his two mates. Zack watched interestedly as Bryan kneeled down on Roxas's other side and put his hand on Roxas's knee. He couldn't hear the words that were being exchanged, but he could see Roxas shake his head every once in a while.

He chose that moment to slip away from him. On his way out of the gymnasium, he grabbed Vance, who was escorting the Bearers today, and asked him to sit with Roxas, Axel, and Bryan while he went to talk to Dr. Vexen. Vance gave him a funny look, but luckily didn't ask questions, and agreed to cover for him until he came back.

Zack traveled silently through the hallways until he came to the medical facility. He had a quick conversation with the receptionist on duty and was shown into Dr. Vexen's office without much of a fuss.

"What can I do for you Zack?" Dr. Vexen asked, closing the door.

"Well, it's about Roxas," Zack said slowly.

Dr. Vexen turned around from where he was crossing the room, his expression sharp. "What about Roxas? Did something happen? Is Roxas all right?"

"I'm not sure," Zack confessed. "I mean physically, he's fine, but mentally…" he sighed. "Well, I'm not sure."

"What happened?" Dr. Vexen asked quietly, seating himself behind his desk.

So Zack told him. Dr. Vexen listened to him carefully, frowning as Zack finished his story.

"That is very odd," he murmured. "Probably a result of his traumatic experience…"

"I think…" Zack hesitated momentarily. "I think that Roxas might benefit from seeing the psychologist here."

Dr. Vexen gave him a funny look, but nodded. "I think you are right. I shall set up an appointment for him at once."

Zack smiled. "Good. I should probably get back to Roxas. I'm assigned to him today."

"Yes, that's probably a good idea," Dr. Vexen said. "Do tell me right away if anything else happens, all right?"

Zack nodded. "I will. I promise."

Roxas hesitated outside the classroom where his afternoon lesson was being held. He knew he had to go in there and face his fellow Bearers, but he really didn't want to.

As if reading his thoughts, Zack put his hand on Roxas's shoulder and whispered, "Come on Roxas. We'd better go in there."

"All right." Reluctantly, Roxas opened the door and went in.

The rest of the class was already seated and Mr. Lexaeus stood at the front of the classroom, though he hadn't begun the day's lesson yet. All the attention in the room immediately shifted to him. He wasn't sure what was worse; the stares or the whispers that followed him down the aisle.

"Ah Roxas. Good to see you," Mr. Lexaeus said, his smile not quite hiding his anxiety. "How are you feeling?"

"Um, okay I guess," Roxas replied, embarrassed. He really wished people would stop asking him how he was.

"Do you feel comfortable enough to stand up here with me while I make the announcement?" Mr. Lexaeus asked.

"Um, I guess," Roxas answered. He turned to Zack.

"I can go up there with you if you want," Zack answered Roxas's unasked question.

"Please," Roxas whispered.

He felt a little better having Zack stand up there next to him, though he would have much rather had Axel or even Bryan up there with him instead. He felt nauseous as he stared out at the rows of faces in front of him.

"Class, I have a very special announcement to make today," Mr. Lexaeus said, standing behind Roxas, and placing his hands on Roxas's shoulders. "Something very unexpected has happened, something that has not happened here at The Institute for a very long time. Roxas has formed a Bond with his mate." He was forced to stop as the room burst into excited whispers.

When the whispers finally died away, Mr. Lexaeus continued, "Yes, it's very exciting. This is the first Bond to occur in a very long time. It was thought to only be a myth, however today we know that Bonds are no myth. They are real.

"However, this Bond is even rare still because it's not merely a two-way Bond that we are accustomed to. For you see, Roxas has Bonded with another Breeder as well and that Breeder has Bonded with Axel."

The room burst out in loud whispers again. Even the guards looked stunned. Roxas took a deep steadying breath and Mr. Lexaeus tightly squeezed his shoulders.

"You're doing great, Roxas," he whispered. "You're doing so wonderfully. I'm very proud of you and how strong you are."

At last, one of the Bearers had the courage to ask, "Sir, which Breeder has Bonded to Roxas and Axel?"

Mr. Lexaeus immediately glanced at Roxas. "Are you comfortable with me telling them?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. It wasn't as if they could keep it a secret forever.

"All right," Mr. Lexaeus said softly. He turned back to the Bearers. "The Breeder that Roxas has Bonded with is Bryan." There were several surprised murmurs from the other Bearers. "Yes, it's quite a surprise. If Roxas is up to it, I will permit you to ask him a couple questions." He turned to Roxas. "Roxas?"

"All right," Roxas said.

"Very well," Mr. Lexaeus replied. He whispered so only Roxas could hear, "If you feel uncomfortable about any of the questions, you don't have to answer them, all right?" Roxas nodded so Mr. Lexaeus turned back to the class. "Do you have any questions for Roxas? And please, try to keep them appropriate." The class giggled nervously.

A Bearer a year or two older than Zexion and Demyx raised his hand. "Is it really true? You're Bonded to both of them?"

"Yeah." Roxas nodded, smiling sadly.

"What's it like?" another Bearer burst out.

Roxas frowned. "It's…odd. I can't really describe what it's like."

"Do you really feel Axel's emotions?" another Bearer asked.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded. "It's really, really weird. I don't feel it all the time, but there are times when I can feel him, like if he's angry or…or upset. That's when it's the most powerful."

"And Bryan?" the same Bearer asked.

"Yeah, I feel him too," Roxas replied.

There was a long silence.

"Why Bryan?" A third Bearer around Zexion and Demyx's age asked at last.

"Um…" Roxas shifted uncomfortably. "It was Bryan and Axel. But I…I don't really want to talk about that."

"That's quite all right," Mr. Lexaeus said, obviously sensing Roxas's discomfort. "We need to get on with the lesson. Roxas, you may take your seat."

He let go of Roxas's shoulders at last. Roxas exhaled softly and went to his seat, glad to be out of the spotlight at last. He ignored Mr. Lexaeus's lecture for the most part and did not move until the other Bearers left for the usual afternoon break.

Zack gently put his hand on Roxas's shoulder. "Would you like to go for a quick walk?"

Roxas mutely nodded and rose. Without a word, he followed Zack out of the classroom and down the hallways. They rounded a corner and Roxas let out a muffled cry; in the middle of the hallway stood Axel and Bryan. Roxas wordlessly ran forward and threw himself into Axel's waiting arms.

"Miss me?" Axel whispered.

"Missed both of you," Roxas replied.

"That's good to hear," Bryan said, looping his arms around Roxas's waist.

They stood that way for a long time, until Zack finally stepped forward to break them up.

"Sorry, but we've gotta get back to class," he said. "And you've gotta get back to your class too."

Reluctantly, Roxas backed away from his two mates, though not before they both kissed him.

"Feel better?" Zack asked as they walked back to the classroom.

"A little," Roxas admitted.

"Well, it's only another hour, and it's a study period too," Zack said.

"Do you think I could take a nap?" Roxas asked hopefully.

Zack sighed. "I suppose."

Roxas was cheered by this prospect. He took his seat and put his head down. As soon as he closed his eyes, however, he saw the locker room bathroom and he quickly opened his eyes again.

"You all right?" Zack asked, frowning.

"Y…yeah," Roxas stammered.

Zack didn't look like he believed him, but luckily said nothing about it. And for that, Roxas was very thankful.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Axel gave a barely audible groan when he heard someone knocking on the apartment door. He very reluctantly pulled his mouth away from where it was suctioned to Roxas's neck and straightened up.

It had been several days since Roxas had been raped and subsequently Bonded to Axel and Bryan. The three of them were beginning to explore the bounds of their relationship. At the moment, the three of them were crowded on one of the couches in the living room, Bryan on one end and Axel on the other with Roxas laying on each of their laps.

The knocking persisted. Gritting his teeth, Axel shifted Roxas off his lap and went to answer the door.

"What?" he hissed, throwing the door open.

A young guard stood outside, looking quite nervous.

"O…oh, um…I…I have orders from Director Xemnas," he stammered. "You guys are supposed to pack because you're leaving tomorrow to appear in front of the High Council."

"All right," Axel said through gritted teeth.

He slammed the door shut in the guard's face and stalked back over to the couch, muttering curses under his breath. Roxas, who had shifted his head to Bryan's lap, looked up, startled.

"We have to pack," Axel said stiffly.

He stalked to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Roxas looked up at Bryan, surprised.

"Don't worry about him," Bryan said, leaning down to snag a kiss from Roxas's lips. "He just needs time to cool off."

He leaned down and snagged another kiss from Roxas's lips. Roxas stared up at him wide-eyed.

"What's wrong Roxas?" Bryan asked softly.

"Nothing," Roxas immediately denied, sitting up. Bryan stared at him with raised eyebrows. "It's just…I just didn't think you'd be interested…I mean it's just so weird. You don't know me at all."

Bryan hushed him by placing several fingers to his lips. "It's merely like us being mated for the first time. We will get to know each other better. It'll just take time. Look…" he sighed softly. "I know this isn't exactly an ideal situation. It's extremely awkward, but we must learn how to deal with it." He gently cupped Roxas's cheek. "I know we can do this."

Roxas smiled at him. "Yeah."

Bryan brought their lips together again. They didn't break apart until they sensed that someone was watching them. Roxas's cheeks flooded with color when he and Axel locked eyes.

The corners of Axel's mouth twitched up into a smile. "Having fun?"

Roxas ducked his head, burying his face in Bryan's knees, his cheeks rosy. Axel stepped over to him, gently forced Roxas's head up, tilted his chin up, and kissed him. Roxas flushed even more, if that was possible. Axel reluctantly broke the kiss off.

"You and Bryan need to go and pack," he whispered.

"Yeah, you're right," Roxas replied.

He didn't want to get up, though he knew he had to. He forced himself up, and walked over to the bedroom.

There were three bags on the bed, one already packed, the other two empty, and waiting for use. Roxas stepped over to the dresser. There were three drawers; one had Axel's things in it, one was for Roxas, and the third one had been empty until Bryan had moved in.

Roxas opened his drawer and started pulling clothes out. He placed them neatly in his bag. It didn't take him very long to pack. When he had finished, he went back out to the living room. Immediately, he stopped, color flooding his cheeks again. Bryan and Axel were on the couch together, kissing passionately, Axel on his back, with Bryan over him. The kisses intensified as tongues came into play. It was strangely…arousing to watch them; it was so intense. He had never seen Axel acting so submissive before; he had always been the dominant one in their relationship. But he wasn't now.

Roxas's eyes widened as Bryan's hands slipped up the front of Axel's shirt. Things were getting a lot more serious. Roxas's cheeks were extremely hot, but yet he couldn't take his eyes away from the erotic scene in front of him. Bryan's hands move down to Axel's crotch and unbuttoned his pants. He lowered his head between Axel's knees. Roxas's eyes widened even more and he quietly fled to the bedroom. Axel and Bryan didn't even realize he had been watching them.

_Roxas let out a low moan. Bryan's kisses were searing, but his touch was gentle. He removed Roxas's shirt, letting it drop over the side of the bed. His fingertips gently brushed Roxas's skin, sending goosebumps up his arms. Bryan squeezed one of Roxas's nipples, causing Roxas to gasp. His hands moved lower, gracing Roxas's belly with light touches. He squeezed Roxas's crotch hard, causing Roxas to let out a sound that was halfway between a gasp and a moan. Smirking, Bryan undressed Roxas the rest of the way._

"_You're gonna feel so good when we're done with you," Bryan whispered huskily. _

_Axel stepped out of the shadows. He, like Bryan, was already completely naked. Bryan smirked at Axel and then began to prepare Roxas. When he was fully satisfied that Roxas was fully prepared, he shifted Roxas onto his lap so they were both facing Axel. Bryan slid into Roxas, causing the blonde to cry out softly. Axel joined them on the bed. His lips found Roxas's as Bryan began thrusting._

_Roxas gasped loudly as Axel took him into his mouth and then let out a low moan. He arched his back as Axel began sucking on his length. Bryan wrapped his arms around Roxas's front and began lightly touching him again. Roxas squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as he could. His fingers threaded through Axel's hair as Bryan thrust harder. _

"_Does that feel good?" Bryan asked huskily in his ear._

"_Oh god yes," Roxas panted, thrusting along with Bryan. _

_He gave another low moan, then threw his head back and came. Bryan thrust a few more times before he too reached his climax. _

Roxas's eyes snapped open, his lungs constricting. He looked around the darkened room. Beside him, Bryan stirred sleepily, but did not wake. Axel on the other hand, was awake at once.

"Roxas, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Roxas answered at once. "I just had a dream, that's all."

Axel stared at him suspiciously, but settled down and went back to sleep. Roxas lay awake for a while after, his heard beating wildly in his chest. Then, at last, he was able to go back to sleep.

The next morning, Roxas, Bryan, and Axel reported to Director Xemnas's office with their bags. They were the first ones to arrive. Director Xemnas ignored them as they waited. Several minutes later, Zexion entered with Zack, looking incredibly stressed. Without even being told, Zack guided Zexion over to stand next to Roxas. When Saïx entered, Zexion refused to look at him. Axel hissed under his breath. Roxas laced his fingers through Axel's and Bryan shot him a warning look. Axel remained where he was, though he did not relax his tense posture.

When they were all assembled, Director Xemnas rose from his desk. "Let's go."

He led the way out of the office and waited for them to all exit so he could lock the door. Then, he took the lead again. As before, they left The Institute not through a grand entrance, but through a very plain-looking door. Outside, on the same gravel driveway were two black sedans.

"There are two?" Roxas asked, turning to Zack in confusion.

"Yes." Zack nodded. "Since there are more of us going today, we need more vehicles. Roxas, you, your mates, and your guard will be riding with Zexion and myself in one car while Director Xemnas rides with Saïx and his guard in the other."

"With Zexion?" Roxas asked, surprised. "But I thought…"

"An exception is being made for this trip," Director Xemnas broke in before Zack could reply. "The High Council has graciously granted you permission to spent this time together. I suggest you use it wisely. Now, I expect you to behave on this trip. All of you." He gave a particularly stern look to Bryan and Axel.

Then, he turned, and walked toward the first sedan in line on the gravel driveway, and got in the front seat.

"Well." Zack nervously cleared his throat. "We'd better get in. It's a very long drive after all."

One by one, they clambered into the sedan, Bryan, Roxas, and Axel on one side, and Zexion and Zack on the other. They were joined not by the guard who had escorted them to Director Xemnas's office, but Vance.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late," he said, climbing in next to Zack.

"You're right on time," Zack said with a smile.

The two guards closed the doors and the car set off down the driveway.

It was perhaps the longest car ride Roxas had ever experienced. The one before hadn't seemed as long because he had Zack to keep him company and there was a lot of information that he had been given in such a short period of time. Now, however, no one seemed to want to talk, which made things extremely awkward.

Roxas eventually decided to try and sleep so he shifted his position so his head was in Axel's lap. Axel didn't seem to mind; he smiled down at his mate and started gently stroking his hair.

Roxas slept fitfully, waking every once in a while from a tangle of confusing and often terrifying dreams. Every time he woke, Axel and Bryan were right there to soothe him back to sleep.

Author's Notes

The next couple chapters are going to be relatively short. I needed to break it up a bit to keep it from being ridiculously long.

Finally we're getting some interaction between Roxas and Bryan! It was only a matter of time before there was a scene like Roxas's dream where Roxas, Axel, and Bryan are all together. When Roxas first sees Bryan and Axel messing around together on the couch, he originally was going to join them, but I decided it was too out of character for him to do something like that.

I did that scene where Roxas sees Bryan and Axel messing around a few different ways before finally deciding that he should just run away. Then I could work in the threesome scene as a dream. I have a filthy mind, it seems. XD And this is the first time I've ever written a threesome. XD


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

The sedan stopped suddenly and the guards opened the doors. Axel gently brushed his fingertips against Roxas's cheek. Roxas lifted his head at once.

"What's wrong?" he asked groggily.

"We've arrived," Axel said.

They exited the car, Roxas rubbing his eyes sleepily. They were in front of the most magnificent hotel they had ever seen.

"What are we doing here?" Roxas asked incredulously.

"This is where we're staying," Zack said. He received astonished looks from Roxas, Bryan, Axel, and Zexion and laughed. "No, I'm not kidding. This is really where we're staying. Director Xemnas has taken Saïx to the High Council. You probably won't see him until tomorrow. Our instructions are to remain at the hotel until we're called by the High Council."

They walked into the hotel. It was as lavish and ornately decorated on the inside as it was on the outside. They received more than a few curious stares as they walked through the lobby.

"Go sit over there while we check in," Zack said, pointing to a bunch of chairs in a corner. "Don't talk to anyone and for god's sake, behave yourselves!"

"When have we ever not behaved?" Axel asked, but Zack was already walking toward the front desk with Vance in tow.

Axel glared after him, but grabbed Roxas by the hand and dragged him in the direction of the chairs. Rolling his eyes, Bryan turned to Zexion.

"Come on," he said.

"All right," Zexion replied quietly.

He followed Bryan over to the chairs where Axel and Roxas sat, holding hands. They attracted a lot of bewildered stares.

"What, haven't you ever seen a gay couple before?" Bryan finally snapped at the people staring at his two mates.

The couple who had been goggling at Roxas and Axel hurried away. Bryan leaned back in his seat with a soft sigh. Roxas reached over and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Bryan gave him a small smile. At last, Zack and Vance came back to them.

"Let's go," Zack said.

The four of them rose and followed the two guards across the lobby to a row of elevators. Vance pressed the call button and they waited. A few moments later, there was a soft dinging sound that announced the elevator's arrival. The metal doors slid open, allowing a large number of people to file out. Several of them threw sideways glances at their group as they passed, but Zack and Vance ushered them into the elevator before anyone could say anything.

The interior of the elevator was paneled with mahogany and there were rails made of silver so finely polished you could see your reflection in it. Zack pressed one of the large silver buttons and the doors slid closed.

When the doors opened again, they revealed a wide hallway with elaborate carpet and expensive wallpaper. Both had the same strange design that was just a bunch of shapes thrown together in a specific way to make it look pretty. They passed several mahogany doors with large brass numbers on them and then stopped outside number 413.

Zack produced a large brass key that he used to unlock the door and motioned for them to enter. Bryan crossed the threshold first. The room was shrouded entirely in darkness. Bryan stumbled around, looking for a light switch. He ran into something solid and cussed loudly. Behind him, Axel flipped on the lights to reveal Bryan facing a wall, cursing fluently.

"Did you just run into the wall?" Axel asked.

"Yes." Bryan flushed. He glared at Axel. "I couldn't see a damn thing."

"I know." Axel's eyes danced with amusement nonetheless.

"Are you all right?" Roxas asked from behind Axel.

"I'm fine," Bryan muttered. "My pride is hurt more than I am."

Zexion entered last, not speaking a word. His aquamarine eyes were troubled.

"So you like it?" Zack asked from the door.

"It's very nice," Roxas replied.

"I had a feeling you'd like it." Zack smiled.

The room was simple, but elegant. The carpet and walls matched with a design similar to the one in the hallway. A chandelier hung overhead illuminating the entire room. There were two large beds made of mahogany, each with a large headboard and matching midnight blue covers. Between the beds was a table that had a fancy-looking lamp and a silver old-fashioned alarm clock.

"Why don't you guys freshen up a bit and then we'll go down to dinner?" Zack suggested. Roxas, Axel, Bryan, and Zexion all shared a glance and then nodded. "Awesome. I'll be back in about half an hour to collect you. Oh and just so you know, Vance and I are staying next door and the rooms are connected, so no funny business, got it?"

"Like we'd try anything," Axel snorted.

Zack glared at him, but left. They took turns using the bathroom to wash up and change into fresh uniforms. By the time Zack came to get them, the four of them were lounging on their beds, Roxas, Axel, and Bryan on one and Zexion on the other.

"You guys ready to go?" Zack asked.

The four of them nodded. They went down to the hotel's restaurant. They received many more curious stares as they were seated by a tall dark-haired man in a tuxedo. Bryan looked around.

The restaurant was large and spacious with floor to ceiling windows that made up the entire west wall. The rest of the room was filled with tables ranging from two person to twelve person. They had pure white tablecloths set out with crystal and fine china. Large crystal chandeliers hung overhead and expensive-looking paintings adorned the walls.

Bryan grimaced and lowered his gaze to the menu that had been placed in front of him. It was laminated and decorated with purple tassels. Cute. Bryan opened the menu and whistled softly. Everything was expensive, but he shouldn't have expected anything different; Director Xemnas had very expensive taste.

Bryan looked up, smirking. "Do you think we'd be allowed to order something alcoholic?"

"Bryan!" Zexion protested.

"I don't see why not," Axel said, looking up from his menu. "There's no legal drinking age and Director Xemnas isn't here…"

"We should order something alcoholic, just for the hell of it." Bryan grinned. He turned to Zack and Vance. "Do you guys object?"

"Do what you want." Zack shrugged. "Just as long as you share and don't get wasted. I don't want to have to explain that to Director Xemnas."

"Fair enough." Bryan smiled and flipped through the menu until he came to the wine section. "You know much about wine Axel?"

"Only a little," Axel answered.

"Yeah, me too." Bryan studied the wine list which was comprised of a dozen wines he had never heard of and a couple he had only briefly heard of.

They ended up ordering a bottle of Merlot. The waiter brought six glasses, though Roxas and Zexion both politely refused Bryan when he offered to pour them some. They ordered their food and waited, lapsing into an awkward silence. Axel and Bryan casually sipped at their wine.

"Can I try a little?" Roxas asked, watching Axel drink.

"All right. I don't think you'll like it, though," Axel said, handing his glass over to Roxas.

Roxas swirled the liquid around before taking a sip. He choked and resisted the urge to spit it out. He swallowed the wine and handed the glass back to Axel.

"You're right. I don't like it," he said, reaching for his water glass. "That stuff is nasty."

"I told you," Axel said smugly.

They chatted nervously until their food came and then ate in complete silence. Since Director Xemnas was picking up the tab, they left right after they finished and spent the rest of the evening in an awkward silence.

Author's Notes

It's a very short chapter again, but the next one will be quite a bit longer. As you can tell, I moved the alcohol scene because I'm trying to compress things. Also, a quick note about the alcohol: there's no drinking age because alcohol is expensive and it's something only the rich can afford.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The following morning, Zack came and got Roxas, Axel, and Bryan up early. Roxas, who had hardly slept last night due to nightmares, was up at once.

"I'm gonna take a shower, all right?" he said, gathering his things.

"All right," Axel replied. "I'm gonna try and get Bryan up." He glared at the lump in the bed that was Bryan.

Smiling, Roxas went into the bathroom. He turned the water on and while he waited for it to heat up, he stripped off his pajamas, and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He almost didn't recognize himself—the figure who leered back at him was far too pale and far too thin to be him. His cheeks were hollow and there were dark circles beneath his eyes.

Disgusted, Roxas turned away from the mirror and went back to his shower. He stepped beneath the spray and closed his eyes. The hot spray felt so good he wished he could stay there forever, though he knew he couldn't.

Roxas reluctantly switched off the water, toweled himself dry, and dressed in a clean uniform. When he walked back out, Axel had the news on and watched with little interest. Zexion sat by the window, vacantly staring out.

"Zexion?" Roxas asked softly, walking over to him. Zexion didn't stir. "Zexion?"

"Yes Roxas?" Zexion asked in a dull tone, still staring out the window.

"Why won't you look at me?" Roxas asked, hurt.

"I…" Zexion took a deep breath and then turned to Roxas, his eyes filled with tears.

"Zexion, what's wrong?" Roxas asked gently.

"I…I feel like this is all my fault," Zexion whispered.

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked.

"Saïx he…he raped you and it's my fault," Zexion said faintly. "It's because I slept with Demyx. He's mad at me and he's gotten back at me by hurting you."

"It's not your fault," Roxas said firmly. "It never has been and never will be your fault."

"But…" Zexion protested.

"Damn it, Zexion!" Roxas shouted, drawing several stares. "It isn't your fault! Saïx…Saïx…" his throat constricted and tears threatened to leak out of his eyes. He took a deep, shuddering breath. "It's not your fault that Saïx raped me. It was his decision and his decision alone. I will never hold you responsible for what he did."

Zexion smiled weakly. "Thank you, Roxas."

"You're welcome." Roxas returned the smile.

They ate a hasty breakfast in the hotel's restaurant and clambered into the sedan that waited for them outside. None of them spoke as they drove to the Justice Building, nor as they headed inside.

It was exactly as Roxas remembered it. It seemed as though nothing at all had changed as they made their way up to the High Council's chambers on the fifty-eighth floor. The view was still as spectacular and as terrifying as it had been the first time Roxas had seen it. This time, he had Axel and Bryan there, though, which made him feel a lot better. He buried his face in Axel's shoulder and allowed his mate to lead him down the hallway, grateful that he didn't ask any questions. They stopped in front of the pair of large wooden doors that led into the High Council's chambers and Zack knocked.

"Yes?" a woman's voice came from the interior.

"Zack Fair here with Vane Meyers. We're escorting Roxas Strife, Axel Semenov, Bryan Krushenev, and Zexion Rogers who are here for questioning."

"Very well," the woman's voice said. "Please enter."

The doors swung open. Zack glanced at them.

"After you," he said, smiling crookedly.

No one seemed to want to move. At least, Axel rolled his eyes, grabbed Roxas by the hand, and dragged him in, Bryan following dutifully behind. Zexion silently followed with the two guards bringing up the rear.

"Stand in the middle of the rom, please," the woman's voice said from the shadows.

They lined up in the middle of the room, Roxas still holding Axel's hand, Bryan on Roxas's on other side, Zexion beside him, and the two guards on either end. Roxas reached over and took Bryan's hand. Bryan glanced at him, but couldn't see him too well through the semi-darkness, so he just squeezed Roxas's hand instead in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. They waited in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Then, the doors behind them opened to admit Director Xemnas.

"Sorry I'm late," he said smoothly, striding forward.

"Now that everyone is here, we can begin," the same woman's voice as before said in what sounded like a vaguely annoyed tone. "Bring in the prisoner!"

The doors swung open a third time. This time, Roxas couldn't help gasping. Saïx was led in by several guards from The Institute. His hair was messy, his uniform rumpled and stained, and his face was unshaven. But that was no why Roxas gasped. Long, thin, jagged scars covered Saïx's entire face, as though someone had taken a knife and carved a pattern into his skin. He knew without asking that this was Axel's handiwork. Saïx glared at him, which was more menacing now, and Roxas had to turn away. Beside him, Axel snarled under his breath.

"Easy," Bryan muttered.

Roxas gently squeezed Axel's had. His hostility worried Roxas.

"I'll behave," Axel said in an undertone.

"Quiet please," an unfamiliar man's voice called out.

"Now, we are here today to hear testimony from Roxas Alexander Strife, Zexion Jasper Rogers, Axel Sergeivich Semenov, and Bryan Dimitrivich Krushenev, concerning Saïx Preston Hollifield and the crime he committed against Roxas," the woman said. "Is that right?"

"Yes," Director Xemnas said.

"Very well. Saïx Preston Hollifield, do you understand the charges being brought against you?" the woman said.

"Yes." Saïx nodded.

"Do you understand that if you are found guilty, the High Council may decide to inflict the maximum punishment which is death?" the woman continued.

"I do," Saïx responded.

"Do you have anything you would like to say before we begin?" the woman asked.

"No, I have nothing to say," Saïx replied coldly.

"He's not going to apologize?" Axel hissed. "That bastard!"

"Shh, Axel," Roxas murmured, lightly squeezing Axel's hand again.

Axel quieted, though his disgruntlement still resonated through their Bond.

"We will begin questioning the witnesses then," the woman said. "We will start with Roxas. Please follow Rusty into the side chamber. The rest of you will wait in the lounge until you are called in for questioning with the exception of the prisoner, who will wait in the holding area."

Axel and Bryan both gently squeezed Roxas's hands before letting go. Roxas took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Come with me, please." Rusty's voice came from beneath one of the hoods, though Roxas couldn't tell which one until he got closer.

He followed the hooded figure of Rusty into the same side chamber as before, followed by only Zack.

Rusty made sure the door was completely shut before pushing his hood back. His gaze was immediately drawn to Roxas, who looked around the room uncomfortably. He looked so much older than the last time Rusty had seen him only a week previously. He was much paler and thinner, so frail-looking. His face was lined with worry and, worst of all, there were dark circles beneath his eyes, as though he had hardly seen a good night's sleep, which Rusty suspected he hadn't. Rusty wouldn't have believed a person could change so dramatically in a short period of time, but the proof was right in front of him.

"Sit down, Roxas," he said, careful to keep his voice neutral.

He didn't want Roxas to know how worried he was, how he had hardly slept after he had found out what had happened to Roxas. He had a part to play; he couldn't afford to let Roxas know just how much he cared for him. He couldn't let anyone know for that matter. So it was with great restraint that Rusty sat on the couch opposite Roxas and carefully regarded him.

"I won't ask you how you're doing. I expect you've heard that more times that you'd like," he began. Roxas smiled faintly. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Can't say I blame you. I'd get sick of everyone asking you how you are every time they see you."

"Yeah," Roxas murmured.

"Instead, I'm just gonna get right down to business," Rusty said. "I understand that all this is extremely difficult for you. It's a lot for you to deal with. But I need you to tell me exactly what happened the day Saïx raped you." He noted that Roxas flinched slightly at the mention of rape, but didn't say anything. Instead, he continued, "If you find that you are having difficulty talking about it, you can have some time to collect yourself, all right?"

"All right," Roxas replied.

"And if you need to cry, go right ahead. I won't judge you and neither will Zack. Right Zack?" Rusty said.

"Right," Zack said, smiling at Roxas.

"Are you ready, Roxas?" Rusty asked seriously.

Roxas took a deep breath. "Yes."

"All right." Rusty switched on the tape recorder that sat ready to go on the glass table. "This is Rusty McCarthy, High Council Member conducting interview number 67417. Just a few questions to once again make sure our records are correct. State your full name, please."

"Roxas Alexander Strife," Roxas said.

"You are still fifteen years old, born May 15, 1987AA, correct?" Rusty asked.

"Yes." Roxas nodded.

"And you're still a Bearer at The Institute and have been one for two years?"

"Yes," Roxas answered.

"All right," Rusty said, glad that the most boring part of the interview was out of the way. "Now, I want you to explain what happened on the 6th of July."

He waited with bated breath for Roxas to begin his tale. He already knew what happened; right after the incident had occurred, Director Xemnas had submitted a report that detailed everything that had happened. As was the custom, the entire High Council had received a copy of that report and was required to memorize it in case they were chosen to interview the witnesses.

It had been extremely difficult for him to read through that report the first time, let alone the second and third time. He wasn't sure how he had managed to memorize it. Reading it made him extremely sick and he needed more than one glass of alcohol to get through it.

However, it was even worse listening to Roxas telling him what happened. He clenched his hands into fists, trying to keep his temper. It was extremely difficult, to be sure. Once when he looked down at his hands, he saw that he was digging his nails into the palms of his hands so hard he was drawing blood. Drawing in a deep breath, he forced himself to relax, and continue listening to Roxas's story.

Roxas was remarkably brave about the whole thing. He never faltered once, not even when he talked about how Saïx had raped him in the shower. He just sat there, anxiously twisting his hands around in his lap. Rusty tried hard not to react and instead busied himself with scribbling down questions to ask after Roxas had finished his story.

At last, Roxas fell silent, though he still twisted his hands around in his lap. Rusty took in a deep breath and tried to regain his composure.

"Uh…I…I have some questions to ask you now, if that's okay with you," he stammered.

"Yeah, that's fine," Roxas whispered.

Rusty squinted down at his notes. "Okay, first question. When Saïx first approached you, did you know it was him?"

"No." Roxas shook his head. "He grabbed me from behind and threw me against the wall of the shower. I didn't see who it was until he was bearing down on me."

"Were you surprised that it was Saïx?" Rusty asked.

"Yeah," Roxas answered, his voice still barely above a whisper.

"Did you try and fight him? Try to get away? Scream for help?" Rusty asked.

"Of course," Roxas answered, slightly agitated. "But Saïx held me down and he was so much stronger than I was. When I screamed, he told me to shut up and hit me."

"Do you know if he…ah…reached his climax?" Rusty tried to keep his voice neutral.

Roxas flushed bright pink at the embarrassing question. "Y…yeah."

"You're sure about that?" Rusty asked.

"Yeah." Roxas nodded, flushing even more. "I know what it feels like."

"All right." Rusty glanced at his notes again. "So Axel was the one who pulled Saïx off you?"

"Yeah," Roxas answered.

"And he was mad?" Rusty questioned.

"Extremely," Roxas whispered. He shuddered.

"And then Bryan was the one who took you to the medical facility?" Rusty frowned.

"That's right." Roxas twisted his hands around in his lap again. "Axel ran after Saïx. I didn't even know Bryan was there until he called my name."

"Were you afraid of Bryan at all?" Rusty asked.

"At first, I was a little scared," Roxas admitted. "But I knew I could trust him."

"Why?" Rusty asked sharply.

"Axel." Roxas smiled slightly. "He said that I could trust Bryan and I…well I trust Axel's judgment."

"And why's that?" Rusty asked curiously.

"Well, I've learned that Axel is very slow to trust people," Roxas said slowly. "If he says Bryan can be trusted, he must have a really good reason to trust him."

"I see," Rusty murmured. "Well, I think that's everything I need to know. Thank you, Roxas. Zack will escort you back to the lounge. And Zack, would you bring me Axel, please?"

"Sure." Zack nodded.

Rusty watched them leave, then stood at the window, looking out. He didn't have long to make up his mind. Did he want Axel to see his face or not? He quickly weighed his options and decided that it was probably best if Axel, Zexion, and Bryan all saw his face now. It was time he revealed himself to all of them. He didn't move until he heard Zack knock on the door.

"Come in, please," he said, turning away from the window at last.

The door opened and Axel was led in. Rusty found himself studying Axel quite intently. He had never met Axel, though he certainly had heard much about him. He had seen photos of Axel, although it wasn't the same as seeing him in person. He looked remarkably like his photos, albeit slightly older now. He sat tall and proud across from Rusty and spoke with ease about the incident. His answers were short and to the point. Yet he spoke in such a respectful tone that Rusty found it hard to believe he had caused so much trouble at The Institute.

He next sent for Zexion to ask him a few questions concerning Saïx. Zexion had stared a bit at Rusty when he first entered, but Rusty had known that he probably would have. Zexion had been very distressed when he had heard about what had happened to Roxas and had even gone as far as to blame himself for Saïx's actions. His emotions seemed genuine to Rusty and he immediately dismissed any thought that Zexion had had anything to do with the incident.

Rusty had saved Bryan for last on purpose. Aside from Roxas, Bryan had been the one Rusty had been most intrigued to interview. Bryan was still somewhat of an enigma; indeed, no one (except perhaps Axel) really knew him that well. Even more mysterious was the supposed relationship between him and Axel.

By the time Rusty had finished interviewing Roxas, Axel, and Zexion, it was well past 11, so he ordered an hour break for lunch. It also gave him the opportunity to go over Bryan's file again. He scarcely touched his sandwich, more interested in the file sitting on the glass table. Flipping through it, Rusty found he had more questions than answers.

After puzzling over it for well over an hour, Rusty finally sent Bryan so he could begin his interview. When Bryan was led in, Rusty found himself studying Bryan even more intently than Axel.

Bryan was quite handsome. He had wild dark curls that framed a thin pale face and inscrutable blue-grey eyes. Even Rusty, who was usually very good at reading people, found it hard to judge this young man now seated across from him.

Bryan's light blue-grey eyes swiftly traveled down Rusty's frame, measuring him up. Rusty could see that Bryan was very perceptive, his gaze sharp and alert.

"I'm going to begin with a few basic questions, all right?" Rusty asked, reaching for the tape recorder sitting on the glass table, and turning it on.

"That's fine," Bryan responded in a quiet voice.

Rusty cleared his throat. "This is High Council member Rusty McCarthy conducing interview number…" he squinted, trying to think. "Number 67420. State your full name for the record, please."

"Bryan Dimitrivich Krushenev," Bryan stated. He had a Russian name, but absolutely no trace of an accent.

"You were born on June 24, 1983AA, correct?" Rusty asked.

"And that makes you nineteen years old?" Rusty tried to quickly do the math in his head.

"Yes." Bryan nodded.

"You are a Breeder at The Institute and have been one for six years?" Rusty asked, trying not to sound bored.

"That's correct." Bryan responded.

"All right." Rusty cleared his throat. "Now, I'd like you to tell me what happened to the best of your ability what happened on the 6th of July."

It was interesting to hear Bryan's perspective on the situation. Rusty had been careful to avoid the topic of the Bond that had been formed between Roxas, Axel, and Bryan so far. Roxas had been distressed enough already, Axel's temper too volatile to risk it. And now, Rusty wasn't sure if he should bring it up with Bryan. He just didn't know how Bryan would react. He made up his mind to not ask.

He asked Bryan a couple miscellaneous questions and then sent him away with Zack, who was playing his part as an aloof guard of The Institute perfectly. Then, he began to gather all the necessary information so he could make his recommendation to the High Council.

Roxas, Axel, Bryan, and Zexion waited in a nervous silence in their hotel room. After they had finished being questioned by Rusty, they had returned to their hotel to wait until the High Council made its decision.

Bryan had the TV on, though none of them were really paying attention to the soap opera that Bryan had found. He, Axel, and Roxas were curled up on their bed, Roxas napping. Zexion sat on the edge of his bed, fidgeting nervously.

At last, there came a knock on the door and Zack poked his head in.

"Hey," he said softly. "It's time. The High Council has made its decision."

Without saying a word, Roxas, Axel Bryan, and Zexion got up from their places and followed Zack out. No one spoke as they drove to the Justice Building. Zexion was trembling badly. Roxas wished he could offer him some words of support, but the words died in his throat.

A crowd had formed outside the Justice Building when they arrived. Clearly, the press had gotten wind of the incident and were now clamoring outside in the hopes of getting the inside scoop.

They were hurried up to the fifty-eighth floor by a large group of local security guards who were there in addition to Zack and Vance and were shown into the High Council's chambers. Saïx was already there with Director Xemnas and his guards, handcuffed as before.

Once they were all assembled, a woman's voice boomed out, "We have decided a suitable punishment." She paused and the entire room waited with bated breath. "In the matter of Saïx Preston Hollifield, we believe that the maximum punishment is suitable. He is to be executed immediately."

There was a short gasp from Zexion. He felt as though he had been hit with something extremely heavy and staggered backward. He collided with something solid but soft and he felt arms wrap around him, trying to keep him up. He fell anyway. There were several surprised gasps and someone called his name, but the room was swimming around him.

Then, someone was lifting him up and swiftly carrying him, though in the semi-darkness, he couldn't see who it was, or was it because his vision was going dark? He leaned against whoever was carrying him and knew no more.

Author's Notes

Just a quick note on the names, especially Bryan and Axel's: they both have traditional Russian names even though Russia doesn't exist anymore. This is because when the twins began to repopulate the world, they decided to not let some of the Old World culture die, so, among other things, they kept up the traditional patronymic naming system of Russia (and a few other places as well, I think).

For this chapter, I listened to two songs in particular: Rinzler from Tron Legacy, which, as you already know, is the High Council's theme. And I also listened to Monster by Paramore, which is "Rusty's" theme.

One more note. I changed Zack's surname to Fair which is the surname he's given in the FF games to make it more canon. Totally forgot about that. Sorry!


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Zexion woke to the sound of voices.

"Hey look, I think he's waking up."

There was a soft sigh. "You said that before and he clearly didn't wake up."

"Well, this time is different. It really looks like he's waking up."

There was a pause. "Hey, I think you might actually be right."

"Told you."

"Shut up."

Zexion gave a soft groan and forced his eyes open. He saw an unfamiliar ceiling first, followed immediately by a pair of concerned-looking faces. Zexion blinked to make sure he wasn't seeing things. The two faces didn't disappear. In fact, they seemed to grow clearer.

"Zexion, are you all right?" Rusty asked softly.

"Y…yeah," Zexion said weakly, reaching up to brush his bangs out of his eyes. "What happened?"

"You passed out," Rusty said, his voice still extremely gentle. "Scared the fuck out of us."

"S…Sorry," Zexion murmured. "Didn't mean to."

"We know," Zack said soothingly.

"Would you like some water?" Rusty asked.

Zexion licked his dry lips. "Yes, please."

"Help him up, Zack while I get the water," Rusty said.

"Sure," Zack responded.

Zexion felt Zack gently ease him into a sitting position. Rusty returned with a glass of water that he immediately handed to Zexion.

"Thank you," Zexion said quietly. He slowly sipped at his water. After a few minutes, he felt well enough to ask, "How long was I out for?"

Rusty and Zack briefly glanced at each other before Zack answered, "Uh, about five minutes, maybe?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Rusty nodded.

"Only five minutes?" Zexion frowned. "It felt a lot longer than that."

"It felt like an eternity to us," Rusty grumbled.

"Sorry," Zexion muttered guiltily.

"It's fine," Zack said.

There was a knock on the door. Rusty rolled his eyes and pulled up his hood before going to the door. He talked to whoever was there for a very long time before finally closing the door and coming back to them.

"Zexion, do you think you are well enough to receive Saïx so you have a chance to say goodbye?" he asked.

Zexion's breath caught in his throat. "Y…yeah. I think so."

"If you don't want to see him, it's all right," Zack said softly. "We won't force you to see him."

"No." Zexion swallowed hard. "No, it's all right. Send him in. I'll see him. Before…before…" he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Very well then," Rusty said. He went to the door and opened it again.

While he spoke to whoever it was who stood right outside, Zexion forced himself to stand. He swayed unsteadily, but stayed up. His breath caught in his throat again as Rusty moved back and admitted Saïx, who was no longer handcuffed, into the room.

"Do you want me to stay?" Zack suddenly whispered in his ear. "We were all going to leave to give you a bit of privacy to say goodbye to Saïx, but if you want, I can stay."

"No, it's okay," Zexion immediately responded, keeping his gaze fixed on Saïx.

"Are you sure?" Zack asked uncertainly.

Zexion swallowed hard again and tried to retain some composure. "Yes. I'm sure."

"All right," Zack replied. "If you need us, we'll be right outside, all right?"

Zexion nodded. The guards left with Rusty trailing behind. Zexion did not stir until he heard the door close. He walked over to his doomed mate, shaking, but determined.

"Saïx,_ why_?" It came out as nothing more than a hiss. Saïx did not offer an answer. "Did you do it to get revenge on me because I was unfaithful?"

"If I wanted revenge, I would have told Director Xemnas about you and Demyx," Saïx sneered. "You just got unlucky there."

"So you knew?" Zexion asked.

"Always," Saïx responded quietly. "I knew from the moment you told me you were pregnant that the child wasn't mine."

"Why didn't you tell?" Zexion asked.

Saïx frowned. "You were…so happy, something I'd never seen before. I couldn't take that happiness away. I knew I could never make you happy like he can."

"Why Roxas?" Why not someone else—anyone else?" Zexion asked, starting to cry a little.

"I wanted to know what it was like to fuck someone besides you," Saïx said.

"You…you monster," Zexion hissed. "You raped Roxas just for the hell of it? You don't care how much pain you caused, how traumatized Roxas is because of this?"

Saïx gave him a flat look. "No. I don't care. I don't regret what I did and I never will."

"You…you…" Zexion stuttered, unable to find the proper words. "You are a sick, twisted monster!"

Saïx moved in closer, so they were only inches apart and whispered, "So are you."

Zexion's eyes widened and he backed away, disgusted.

"I am not!" he hissed. "I am nothing like you!"

"Really?" Saïx asked. "Do you regret what you did with Demyx?"

"Well, I…" Zexion couldn't finish his sentence.

In truth, he couldn't regret his decision to have an affair with Demyx. He had been so desperate to avoid having sex with Saïx, but deep down, he knew that somewhere along the way, he had developed strong feelings for Demyx. Tears flooded his eyes again and he could do nothing to keep them from flowing down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry Saïx," he choked out. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"Do not blame yourself," Saïx said. "My actions are my choice and mine alone. You had nothing to do with this. Do you understand?"

"I…I guess," Zexion said uncertainly. More tears streamed down his face. "This isn't fair. You have to die and I get to live even though we both did the same thing."

"There's one difference," Saïx said patiently. "You had a choice. Roxas did not. And that makes all the difference in the world."

"But…" Zexion protested.

Saïx pressed his index finger to Zexion's lips to silence him. "It isn't the same. One day, perhaps you'll understand. But for now, just know that this is the way I want it to be, okay?"

Zexion nodded. There was a knock on the door and Zack stuck his head in.

"I'm afraid your time is up," he said.

"Just give me a minute," Saïx told him. He turned back to Zexion. "Can I kiss you one last time?"

"Yes," Zexion whispered.

Saïx's kiss was brief and surprisingly gentle. He pulled away and walked to the door, then stopped, and turned around.

"Goodbye Zexion," he said hoarsely.

Then, he was gone.

Zexion stared after him for a long time, not fully comprehending what was going on. When realization finally hit, it hit hard. The room spun around him and he felt his legs give out. This time, there was no one to catch him. He collapsed to the ground, sobbing loudly. He buried his face in his knees, trying to muffle sound. There were running footsteps and Zack and a hooded figure burst in.

"Zexion!" Zack cried, hurrying over to him.

Zexion buried his face back in his knees and continued sobbing. He felt a warm hand rest gently on his back, but didn't look up. He didn't know how long he cried, but it seemed like an eternity before he finally stopped crying. When he looked up, there was a tissue dangling in his front of his face.

"Here," Rusty said quietly. "You look like you could really use this."

Zexion smiled weakly at him. "Thanks."

He used the tissue to wipe his eyes. Then, he took a deep breath, and slowly got to his feet.

"Are you ready to go?" Zack asked quietly.

"Yes," Zexion answered.

He followed Zack out. He felt Rusty's eyes on him, but did not dare turn around. In the High Council's chambers, Bryan, Roxas, Axel, and Vance were waiting. Director Xemnas, Saïx, and his guards had vanished. Without a word, they turned around and left. They returned to the hotel long enough to pack their bags, and then began the long drive back to The Institute.

Roxas fell asleep quickly, laying in Bryan's lap for once, but Zexion could not sleep. He remained wide awake even after Bryan and Axel had both fallen asleep and Zack and Vance were nodding off. He kept thinking about the future and what would be waiting for him back at The Institute. Director Xemnas had told him that if Saïx was executed, he would be assigned a new mate and would be expected to continue his duties as a Bearer. It was this that Zexion feared above everything else.

Author's Notes

Crazy week. I worked 37 hours and now I have to work another 37 hours this week (my company's workweek starts on Thursday, don't ask me why). So I'm a bit worn down. The only song I really listened to was Roxas Theme (Orchestral) by Drammatica for the confrontation scene between Zexion and Saïx.

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	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Roxas sighed softly as he got ready for breakfast. Several weeks had gone by, July melting swiftly into August. In such a short period of time, much had changed, the biggest thing being that Zexion had been assigned a new mate. His name was Jasper and, according to the rumors that were swirling around, mostly passed on by the guards, he was a cold, distant man who had no interest in Zexion. He had moved into Zexion's apartment and had effectively taken over Saïx's role. Roxas had not met him, but Axel had pointed him out at breakfast one morning. He was very unremarkable with brown hair, pale green eyes, and plain facial features.

"Are you ready to go?" Axel's quiet voice startled Roxas out of his musings.

"Uh…" he said, his heart beating wildly in his chest. "I'm…I'm not really feeling good. You guys go on ahead."

Axel frowned. "Are you all right? Do you want to see Dr. White?"

Having Axel worrying about him was the last thing Roxas needed right now.

"No, no." He laughed nervously. "I just need to lay down for a bit. You guys go to breakfast without me. I'll catch up with you in a little while."

"All right." Axel clearly wasn't convinced, but didn't force the issue.

Roxas watched him as he left, his heart still pounding, but when he turned around, he realized that Bryan was still there, leaning casually against the bedroom door.

"It's no use lying to us, you know," Bryan said quietly, straightening up. "We know you're in heat."

Roxas stared at him for a split second before lowering his gaze to the floor. "I know."

"Then why did you try to hide it?" Bryan's voice held no anger, just curiosity. "Why pretend like you're not in heat?"

"I guess I just didn't want to face it," Roxas told the floor.

"Because you're scared?" Bryan asked. Roxas nodded. Bryan swore. "Damn Saïx. I hope that bastard burns in hell." He looked up at Roxas. "You know what needs to happen."

"I know," Roxas whispered.

"If you're more comfortable doing it with Axel, I can go and get him for you," Bryan said. "Axel wanted us to bond more, which is why he went to breakfast so willingly, but I can understand if you would rather have sex with Axel…"

"No, it's okay," Roxas interrupted. He walked towards Bryan, blushing slightly. "We can do it. I…" he blushed even more. "I'm curious to know what it's like. I…I…you're probably going to think this is stupid, but I had a dream about the three of us having sex, you, me, and Axel. All together."

It took a moment for Bryan to figure out what Roxas meant, but then he grinned widely. "I don't think that's stupid. I think that's hot. We'll have to try that for real sometime, if you and Axel are up for it, of course."

"Y…yeah," Roxas stammered, blushing furiously.

"But for now, it's just the two of us," Bryan whispered.

He leaned in and gently brought their lips together. He moved slowly as he took Roxas's clothes off. Roxas waited on the bed clad only in his boxers, watching Bryan strip off his own clothes. He couldn't help gasping when Bryan drew nearer; there was a long, jagged scar on the underside of Bryan's left arm, stretching from his wrist to his elbow. It looked several years old, but Roxas still couldn't help feeling alarm at the sight of it. Bryan saw him staring and glanced carelessly at the scar.

"Yes," he said softly. "I wasn't lying when I told Axel that I was broken goods."

"But why?" Roxas asked in a small voice. "Why would you want to…?"

"Why would I want to end my life?" Bryan smiled sadly. "I was unhappy. I thought that killing myself was the only way for me to escape my awful life."

"What happened?" Roxas asked with wide eyes.

"Another time," Bryan said in a sharp tone. "I don't think now is the best time to talk about that."

"All right," Roxas agreed.

Bryan brought their lips together for several brief kisses before moving down to kiss Roxas's belly. Roxas felt his stomach give a somersault as he felt Bryan gently removing his boxers.

"Shh," Bryan whispered soothingly, feeling Roxas's anxiety. "It's gonna be okay, I promise. I'm not gonna hurt you."

Roxas nodded and tried to relax, but couldn't. He knew what was coming and part of him dreaded it, even though a larger part of him wanted it. He was curious, he couldn't deny it. Having that dream made him want to know what it was like to have Bryan inside him.

Bryan could feel Roxas's tension through the Bond and he felt awful about what he had to do.

Roxas must have picked up on that because he whispered, "It's okay, Bryan. Just do it."

Bryan wanted to point out that it wasn't that simple, but didn't. Instead, he braced himself for the pain that would soon be resonating through the Bond, and slid forward. He winced as the pain hit him hard and he tried to ignore it the best he could. Roxas's anxiety was not as easy to ignore. He felt awful that he was causing Roxas so much anxiety, but there was nothing he could do. It seemed like an eternity until he finally pulled out and collapsed next to Roxas. Neither of them spoke for a very long time. At last, Bryan leaned over and gently brushed his fingers against Roxas's cheek.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Roxas answered, smiling up at him.

"Good." Bryan lightly kissed him on the lips. "We should probably get cleaned up."

"Yeah," Roxas agreed, though neither of them moved for a very long time.

Then, Bryan reluctantly got up and headed for the bathroom. He took a quick shower and dressed in a clean uniform. When he went back out to the bedroom, Roxas was still lying in bed. His blue eyes followed Bryan as he walked to the bedroom door.

"Aren't you coming?" Bryan asked, pausing in the doorway.

Roxas shook his head. "I wanna lay down for a bit. I'm kind of tired."

"All right," Bryan said. "I'll let your guard know that you need to rest for a while."

"Thanks." Roxas smiled up at him, then closed his eyes.

Bryan quietly closed the bedroom door behind him and prepared to go out and explain what had just happened.

Zexion was not prepared when someone knocked softly on the door to his apartment. He certainly wasn't expecting anyone; Jasper was at the medical facility having a checkup and he certainly wouldn't be returning anytime soon. He opened the door and gasped when he saw who stood there. He hardly dared to believe it.

"Demyx?" he whispered.

Demyx smiled tiredly at him. "Hey Zexion."

"What are you doing here?" Zexion asked. "Do you know how risky this is? If they see you here, they'll kill you."

"Then we won't let them see," Demyx said.

He gave Zexion a pointed look. Zexion stepped back and allowed Demyx to enter. He closed the door behind him and turned. Demyx stood in the middle of the room, watching him. They were still for a few moments before Demyx quickly closed the distance between them, their mouths connecting. They worked quickly to remove their clothing, more in a hurry than anything else. In a hurry for their bodies to come together, but also because they were afraid of being caught.

Zexion moaned and arched his back as Demyx finally slid into him. How long had it been since the last time they were together? It seemed like an eternity since then. Zexion had missed him more than he could say. It was only with Demyx that he felt complete.

"God I've missed you," Demyx whispered after it was all finished, placing gentle kisses on Zexion's cheek.

"Yeah, I've missed you too," Zexion responded, smiling up at him from the couch.

"I'd better go." Demyx kissed Zexion on the lips one last time before gathering his clothes scattered on the floor.

Zexion silently watched him dress and did not move until Demyx had gone. He grabbed his clothes from the floor and hurried into the bathroom before Jasper returned.

It was only as he stepped under the shower's spray that he realized he had been in heat.

Author's Notes

Um…hi. Bet you guys weren't expecting that to happen. I wasn't really either. It seems like at this point, my characters are the one writing the story, not me. The songs I listened to while writing this chapter were Roxas Theme (Orchestral) by Drammatica for the confrontation scene between Roxas and Bryan at the beginning and Fumbling Towards Ecstasy by Sarah McLachlan for the two sex scenes. I don't really have much else to say right now.

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	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Zexion felt a huge wave of nausea and bolted for the bathroom. He barely made it to the toilet in time. He dropped to his knees and vomited up his dinner. He felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He knew without looking up that it was Jasper.

"You okay?" Jasper asked.

"No." Zexion shook his head, fighting back tears.

Jasper's hand soothingly rubbed his back. He had really surprised Zexion. At first, he had acted as cold and distant as Aleksei had been when he was first mated to Roxas, but after a few weeks, he came around. In reality, Jasper was a kind and gentle boy a few years younger than Zexion who had just been frightened during his first few days at The Institute.

Zexion gagged and leaned over the toilet again. Whatever was left in his stomach came up. He had never felt this miserable before in his life, well unless you counted when he was pregnant…

A horrible thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Oh no," he whispered. "Oh please no."

"Zexion? What's wrong?" Jasper asked, a look of genuine concern crossing his handsome face.

Zexion swallowed a wave of bile and tried to keep his voice steady. "I need you to do me a huge favor. I need you to go outside. There are two guards standing out there. I need you to get Zack for me, all right? He's got really short dark hair."

"Why?" Jasper asked.

"I need you to not ask questions right now," Zexion said gently. "Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah," Jasper replied.

He looked extremely confused, but nevertheless left without asking any questions. A few minutes later, he returned with Zack, who kneeled beside Zexion looking concerned.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

Zexion did not answer; he stared pleadingly up at Jasper. His mate seemed to get the point because he left without a word. Once Jasper was gone, Zexion turned back to Zack. He was about to speak when he felt another wave of nausea. He retched into the toilet, though nothing came up. When his stomach finally settled, he straightened up, panting.

He looked directly at Zack and said, "I think I'm pregnant."

"What?" Zack asked. "Are you sure?"

Zexion nodded miserably. "I'm positive. I've been having the same symptoms I had the last time I was pregnant. And…" He hesitated momentarily, unwilling to divulge this next piece of information. "I was in heat when Demyx and I had sex."

"Oh you've gotta be kidding me," Zack said with a groan.

"I wish I was," Zexion murmured, wringing his hands together.

"Fuck," Zack muttered.

Zexion looked up at him, tears in his eyes. "What am I going to do? If anyone finds out that I'm pregnant, they'll start asking questions and Jasper will know that it's not his because we've never had sex."

"All right, all right," Zack said. "Calm down. Just let me think."

It was hard for him to think, though. There was so much on his mind already, so much that he had to worry about.

Only last week he found out that Roxas was pregnant again.

Zack took a deep breath and tried hard to think. They couldn't go to Dr. Vexen; it was far too risky. As Zexion had already pointed out, if it got out that Zexion was pregnant, Jasper would know right away that the child wasn't his. He seemed to genuinely like Zexion, but he was still young and they couldn't be sure he could be trusted. The only choice they had was to try and keep it a secret until they could figure out what to do. But first, they needed to be certain that Zexion was pregnant. And for that…

"Okay." Zack's voice was extremely calm, though deep down, he was nervous. "This is what we're gonna do. I'm gonna go to the nearest town and get a pregnancy test. That'll confirm if you're pregnant or not. While I'm gone, you need to go about the rest of your day and try to be as normal as possible. Can you do that for me?" Zexion nodded mutely. "Good. I'll be gone for a couple hours. Try and hang on until then, okay?"

"All right," Zexion replied. He suddenly frowned. "What…what about Jasper? How will we do the test while Jasper is here?"

Zack thought for a few moments before he said, "When does Jasper shower? First thing in the morning or at night?"

"Um…" Zexion seemed very taken aback by the question and it took him a few good minutes to answer. "At night, usually."

"Good." Zack was very glad to hear that; it made things a hell of a lot easier. "We can do it while he's in the shower, then. But we don't have to worry about that until I get back."

Zack made sure that his shift was covered and he had changed out of his guard uniform before heading off. He drove in silence, focusing only on the road. It was near dusk when he arrived in the nearest town. He drove around until he found an open pharmacy and parked in the deserted parking lot.

Zack prowled the aisles until he found what he was looking for. There were like fifty different brands of pregnancy test. He had never bought one before in his life; how in the hell was he supposed to know which one he should buy?

Sighing, Zack plucked a box off the shelf at random. Then he chose two other brands at random to be sure. Then, he headed for the checkout. The cashier stared at him as he approached. He set the pregnancy tests on the counter gingerly, as if he was afraid they would explode, and made small talk with the cashier while she rang up his purchases. Let her think he was some poor guy suckered/blackmailed into buying pregnancy tests for his girlfriend. It was far easier than trying to come up with a cover story that would probably involve something along those lines anyway. He paid cash for the pregnancy tests and stuck them in his jacket pockets, then headed back to The Institute. He left his bike in the garage and made his way back to Zexion and Jasper's apartment. He knocked softly on the door and waited until Zexion opened it.

"Is Jasper in the shower?" Zack asked. Zexion nodded. "All right. Come with me." Zexion looked at him, confused. "There's no time to explain. We need to get this done while Jasper is in the shower."

"Okay." Zexion nodded.

He followed Zack out without complaint. Zack took him to the only place he knew where they could do this—Cloud's apartment. His lover was surprised to see him there with Zexion, but didn't ask any questions, and let them in without a word. Zack pulled the pregnancy tests from his jacket pocket and handed them to Zexion.

"Do you know how to use these?" he asked.

"Yeah," Zexion answered.

He disappeared into the bathroom. Zack sighed and leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Zexion?" Cloud asked, walking over to him.

"Looks like it," Zack answered.

"This could potentially be bad," Cloud murmured.

"I know," Zack hissed. He sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

"It's okay," Cloud said softly. He gently cupped Zack's cheek. "I know you're stressed."

Their lips had just barely touched when they heard the bathroom door open. They quickly pulled away as Zexion shuffled out, his head lowered.

"Zexion?" Zack asked softly.

Zexion looked up and there were tears streaking down his face. "I'm pregnant."

Zack hissed softly. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," Zexion answered. "I did it three times with three different tests. All three of them were positive."

"Okay." Zack sighed. "Let's…let's go back to your apartment."

"All right," Zexion agreed.

He walked behind Zack with his head lowered and his arms wrapped around himself. Tears spilled out of his eyes and down his cheeks and his breathing was ragged. When they reached the apartment, Zexion hesitated before going in.

"Is it okay if I go see Demyx tomorrow?" he asked. "I need to tell him. He has the right to know."

"All right," Zack agreed at once. "I understand."

Zexion smiled through his tears. "Thank you."

Zack nodded. "No problem."

He felt very sorry for Zexion, but there was nothing he could do to help him. And it was the worst feeling in the world.

Zexion scarcely slept that night, plagued by anxiety. Sometime during the night, he slipped out of bed and went out into the living room so he wouldn't disturb Jasper. He collapsed onto the couch, buried his face in the pillow, and began crying softly until he was able to fall asleep.

Zack woke him early and bid him to dress so he could see Demyx before breakfast. He somehow managed to dress and sneak out without waking Jasper. He could feel his anxiety mounting, but there was also a grim determination. He knew what he had to do, though it would cost him everything.

"Make it quick," Zack muttered in his ear as the door to Demyx's apartment finally opened.

"What d'ya want?" Demyx asked, stifling a yawn.

"I'm pregnant," Zexion blurted out.

Demyx's mouth snapped shut mid-yawn. "What?"

"I'm pregnant again," Zexion repeated.

"It's mine?" Demyx asked.

"I wouldn't be here if it was Jasper's," Zexion answered coolly.

"Fuck," Demyx muttered. He ran through his fingers through his hair. "Fuck." He looked up at Zexion. "Are you sure?"

"I'm pretty sure. The test is pretty accurate, right?" Zexion glanced at Zack, who nodded.

"Test?" Demyx frowned.

"Zexion used a pregnancy test," Zack explained quietly explained before Zexion could.

This caused Demyx to frown even more. "You didn't see Dr. Vexen?"

"No." Zexion shook his head. "But I'm gonna."

"What?" Demyx and Zack asked at the same time.

Zexion had been thinking about it all night. It may not have been the smartest thing to do, but it was the right thing to do. He and Demyx would get in so much trouble, but if he didn't go to Dr. Vexen, he would be putting his unborn child at risk.

"If that's what you want, I won't try and stop you," Zack said after a long silence.

Demyx, however, wasn't so convinced. "I think we should think about this a bit more, don't you?"

"No," Zexion replied. "There's really nothing to think about. We can't keep it a secret. No matter how hard we try, there's no way we can hide it forever. People will notice sooner or later."

"But maybe if we…" Demyx started.

"No, Demyx," Zexion interrupted. "There's nothing we can do. I have to tell Dr. Vexen. If I don't…the baby could be at risk. And I can't do that. I'm sorry Demyx." He could barely get the words out.

He turned and fled from the apartment, ignoring Demyx and Zack's startled cries. His heart beat wildly in his chest as he ran down the hallway. He stopped at the top of the stairs to catch his breath.

"Zexion!" Demyx shouted.

Zexion turned. "What do you want?"

"I want…to talk," Demyx panted. "I think you're being hasty. Can't we sit and talk about this?"

"No." Zexion shook his head. "There's nothing to talk about."

"So that's it?" Demyx asked coldly. "You don't care about the fact that we're going to get in a ton of trouble for this?"

"Of course I care!" Zexion shouted. "But there's nothing we can do! Do you want this baby to die?"

"Of course not," Demyx said, a hurt expression crossing his face. "How could you even suggest that?"

"Then why don't you want me to go to Dr. Vexen?" Zexion asked.

"I never said you shouldn't," Demyx answered. "I just thought we could talk this over a bit more, you know, try and figure out how to act and stuff."

"I wish we could," Zexion said gently. "But we don't have time for that. The sooner we get this over with, the better." He turned away.

"Zexion, wait," Demyx protested.

He reached out for Zexion's arm. Zexion instinctively jerked away, stepping back, but he was too close to the edge of the stairs. Instead of solid ground, he found air. He barely had enough time to give a cry of surprise before he was falling. It was a surprisingly short fall down the narrow stairs. His head connected solidly with the wall that concealed the staircase from view. For a few seconds, he was seeing stars and then everything faded to black.

The last thing he heard was Demyx's screams.

Author's Notes

Um…don't kill me? Please? If you kill me, you won't know what happens!


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Zack burst into a sprint when he heard Demyx's screams. He rounded the corner and saw Demyx standing at the top of the stairs. Demyx had gone extremely white and was staring down at something. Zack followed his gaze and swore. Loudly. Zexion lay crumpled at the foot of the stairs. He was not moving.

Zack reached for his radio. "Red alert! Red alert! We have a Bearer down at the base of the second floor I need backup and med fac personnel here pronto!"

He kneeled down beside Zexion and gently placed two fingers to Zexion's neck, waiting. A few tense minutes passed and then Zack sighed in relief; Zexion still had a faint pulse. He was still breathing, though it was much shallower than Zack would have liked.

Zack moved Zexion as carefully as he could and as little as possible, then began to check for injuries. Miraculously, he did not appear to be severely injured; a few bumps and bruises, a broken wrist, possibly a concussion. It was the baby Zack was most worried about, but there was no way to know if it was okay until they got Zexion to the medical facility. He was also worried that Zexion had not woken up yet.

"Come on, Zexion," he muttered, giving Zexion a gentle shake.

Zexion did not wake even after the men from the medical facility arrived. He was carefully loaded onto a stretcher and hurried off to the medical facility. Zack watched the stretcher vanish down the hallway, then turned and headed back up the stairs. Demyx still stood at the top of the stairs still extremely pale. He had the glassy, vacant look of someone who was in shock.

"Come with me," Zack said gently.

When Demyx did not move, he sighed softly and grabbed Demyx by the arm and started to pull him in the direction of the apartments. But Demyx either could not or would not move.

Zack hissed softly under his breath. He had no choice. He hoisted Demyx up onto his shoulder and carried him down the hallway.

Zack knocked on the door to Cloud's apartment, but barged in before Cloud answered. Cloud looked up from his book, startled, Zack swiftly crossed the room and deposited Demyx on the couch.

"What happened?" he asked, closing his book, and rising.

"Zexion fell down the stairs," Zack answered grimly

"Oh my god," Cloud whispered. "Is he okay?"

"I don't know," Zack answered. "They took him to the medical facility. It didn't look like he was hurt that bad but he hit his head pretty hard."

"And Demyx?" Cloud glanced at Demyx motionless on the couch.

"Been like that since Zexion fell," Zack replied. "He and Zexion were arguing before Zexion fell. I didn't see exactly what went on, but I heard raised voices before I heard Demyx scream."

"Do you think Demyx pushed him?" Cloud dropped his voice to a whisper.

Zack shook his head. "I seriously doubt it." He glanced at Demyx again. "I've seen the way he acts around Zexion. Zexion means the world to him. He would never do something like that."

Cloud glanced at Demyx again and nodded. Without being told, he went over to the liquor cabinet and poured a healthy amount of liquor into a shot glass. He brought it over to Demyx.

"Here Demyx, drink this," he said gently.

Demyx stared blankly at him for a few moments before taking the glass. He drained it in one tremendous gulp. He was completely still for a split second and then burst into tears. Cloud immediately went into mommy mode. Zack watched him with a slight smile, then he slipped out of the apartment.

It was late afternoon when Zack returned to Cloud's apartment. Demyx sat on Cloud's couch holding a tea cup. When Zack entered, he looked up, his face hopeful.

"Zexion is all right," Zack said gently. "He wasn't hurt bad—just a broken wrist and a slight concussion. But…" he sighed.

"But what?" Demyx asked anxiously.

Zack looked at him, pained. "Zexion suffered a miscarriage."

"Are…are you serious?" Demyx breathed.

"I'm afraid so," Zack said.

"Oh…oh god." Demyx began sobbing again. "Please no. Please god no."

"I'm so sorry," Zack murmured.

Cloud immediately moved to Demyx's side and began trying to comfort him. It was very hard for Zack to watch Demyx break down like this. Demyx was usually so happy and outgoing, but now it seemed as though his world was falling apart.

Zack's radio suddenly squawked, forcing him out of his thoughts.

"What?" he snapped into it.

"Director Xemnas wants to see you in his office pronto." Vance's voice crackled over the radio.

Zack sighed. He glanced at Demyx still being comforted by Cloud on the couch and said, "All right. I'm on my way." He stowed the radio back in his jacket pocket and turned to Cloud. "You got this?"

"Yeah, I've got it under control," Cloud replied.

"All right," Zack said. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

He slipped out of the apartment and headed to Director Xemnas's office. He knocked on the door and waited a few minutes before he was let in.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" he asked, standing in the middle of the room.

"Yes," Director Xemnas answered, looking up from whatever he was reading. "I would like you to fetch Demyx for me and detain him in one of the confinement rooms. Understood?"

Zack sighed; he had a feeling this was coming and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Yes sir. I understand. I'll detain in Demyx in confinement right away," he said.

"Try and keep it quiet and contained," Director Xemnas warned.

"Yes sir," Zack said dully.

He really didn't want to do this, but he was being left no choice. He only that he could get Demyx detained without any problems. It seemed odd that Director was only sending him to detain Demyx; usually they worked in pairs at the very least. Zack supposed that it was because Director Xemnas wanted to keep things as quiet and contained as possible. And if things got out of hand, he could always call for backup.

He tried to delay as much as possible, even though he knew it was inevitable. He stood outside Cloud's apartment for a long time, trying to compose himself. When at last he felt calm enough, he knocked on the door. A few moments passed and then Cloud opened the door.

"Oh Zack. It's you," he said in surprise.

"Is Demyx still here?" Zack asked.

"Uh, no." Cloud shook his head. "He went back to his apartment a bit after you left. Why?"

Zack didn't answer; he turned and walked down the hallway towards Demyx's apartment.

"Zack, wait!" Cloud called after him.

Zack stopped walking and turned around. "What?"

"Why are you going after Demyx?" Cloud asked, jogging to catch up with him.

Zack sighed. "I've been ordered to detain Demyx in one of the confinement rooms."

"What?" Cloud looked incredibly surprised.

"I've been ordered to take Demyx into custody," Zack replied.

"Because of Zexion?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah," Zack answered.

They arrived at Cloud's apartment. Zack glanced at Cloud and then knocked on the door. No answer. Zack frowned and knocked again. Still no answer.

"Demyx?" he called, knocking harder on the door. "Demyx are you there? Are you okay?" The silence made Zack very anxious.

"Stay here!" he barked at Cloud and drew his gun.

Cloud's eyes widened when he saw the gun and obediently stepped back. Zack inched forward and, holding his gun level with his left hand, tried the door. It was unlocked. Zack eased the door open and entered. The apartment was dimly lit. Zack squinted through the darkness, trying to see. He could just barely make out a figure further in, but it was too difficult for him to know what it was. He flipped the lights on and gasped. Behind him, he heard Cloud give a cry of horror as he saw the scene before them.

Demyx hung from the ceiling, a noose made of what looked like bed sheets around his neck. He was still, his eyes open and vacant.

"Fuck!" Zack swore loudly.

He grabbed his radio and called for help even though he knew it was too late; Demyx was already dead. Zack stored his radio back in his jacket pocket and turned to Cloud so he wouldn't have to keep looking at Demyx's body just hanging there. Cloud had gone sheet white and stared up at Demyx's body in horror and shock.

"Are you okay?" Zack asked him.

Cloud did not answer, still staring up at Demyx's body.

It took three guards plus Zack to get Demyx's body down and loaded onto a waiting stretcher. He was wheeled out. Zack made to follow them, then stopped when he realized that Cloud hadn't followed.

"Cloud!" he called loudly. Cloud looked up at him, startled. "Let's go."

Cloud mutely followed him out. A horrified scream echoed through the narrow hallway. Zack looked up. Zexion stood at the end of the hallway, escorted by Vance. By the look of things, Zexion had just been released from the medical facility. Zack found that strange; he would have thought that Zexion would be kept overnight for observation at the very least.

"No! No!" Zexion screamed, running forward. "Demyx!"

Zack caught him as he approached the stretcher and held him back. Zexion struggled against his hold, screaming Demyx's name until he broke down in hysterical sobs.

"Don't just stand there, help me!" Zack snapped at Cloud, who had stopped moving once again.

But Cloud couldn't hear him. He stared blankly at the wall opposite. Demyx's suicide was eerily similar to his own brother's suicide fifteen years previously.

Christian had been raped three weeks before he killed himself and since then, he had been severely depressed. The day he died, Cloud had had to stay after school to make up a test he missed due to a dentist's appointment, and both their foster parents had worked, as usual.

Cloud had sensed something was wrong from the moment he stepped through the front door. He couldn't say why he knew, he just sensed something was very wrong. Then he found Christian dangling from the ceiling in the living room, a rope around his neck. He had screamed until his throat was hoarse, then fell to his knees and curled up into a ball. His foster parents found him lying on the floor in the fetal position when they came home from work.

Cloud shook his head, the memories dissolving away. He stared blankly at Zack and Zexion for a few moments before remembering where he was. He sighed softly and walked forward.

"Here, I can take him," he told Zack.

Somehow, he managed to ease Zexion from Zack's grip and led him down the hallway, away from the scene. Zexion still sobbed brokenly, though at least he was walking on his own. Vance followed at a distance, his expression unreadable. They came to Cloud's apartment. Cloud awkwardly opened the door and led Zexion in. Vance wordlessly stood outside, arms crossed.

"Sit here sweetie," Cloud said gently, helping Zexion to sit on the couch.

But Zexion would not let go of him so he was forced to sink down next to him. Zexion looked at him through watery eyes and Cloud's heart went out to him. Wordlessly, he wrapped his arms around Zexion as the younger Bearer began sobbing again. He held him like that until he had cried himself to sleep.

Author's Notes

I apologize if there are any errors. I'm kind of in a hurry today. Work continues to be stressful and I'm barely hanging on here.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Zack found himself outside Cloud's apartment for the third time that week. It had been a couple months since Demyx's suicide, and things had settled down, or so it appeared on the surface. Yet there was no denying that The Institute was going through some subtle changes. Everything appeared to be calm on the surface, but there was still an underlying tension that was beginning to build. And that was why Zack was there; these changes, this tension building, made him nervous, as it did all those who could sense it.

Cloud let him in without a word; Zack had sent word ahead of time that he was coming and that they had several very important matters to discuss. They sat on the couch together for a few moments in silence.

Then, Cloud said, "You want to talk about the changes that have been going on at The Institute these past few months, don't you?"

Zack looked at him in surprise; he hadn't expected Cloud to guess the reason for his visit so easily.

Cloud saw Zack's look of surprise and smiled grimly. "I know things are changing, Zack. I can sense it. I know you're worried. I am too. But I don't know why."

"Director Xemnas is starting to lose his grip on The Institute," Zack said. "It seems like it's only a matter of time until he loses it completely and when that happens, there's no doubt in my mind that he'll start resorting to drastic measures."

He stopped for a moment, fighting with himself. There were a lot of things that he had been forced to keep from Cloud, and while he wasn't exactly permitted to tell him everything, it seemed like now was the time to start telling him. If they were going to protect Roxas and the rest of the Bearers from Director Xemnas, they were going to need all the help they could get.

"He's gonna kill me for this, but I don't give a damn," Zack muttered.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked.

Zack looked up at his lover and sighed quietly. "Cloud, there…there are some things that I haven't been telling you."

"What do you mean?" Cloud's tone immediately sharpened.

"I…there are some things I've kept from you," Zack said.  
>"Believe me, I didn't want to keep these things from you, but I didn't have a choice."<p>

"You mean you were lying to me?" Cloud asked angrily. "Why would you do that? I thought I could trust you!"

"I was trying to protect you!" Zack burst out. "Because I didn't want to put you in danger!" He lowered his voice. "I didn't want you to get involved because it's really dangerous and I couldn't bear to lose you." His throat constricted. "Because I love you, Cloud."

"Tell me," Cloud insisted. "Tell me now and maybe I'll forgive you."

"All right." Zack swallowed hard. "You know how we thought Director Xemnas was going to go after Roxas, but we didn't know why?"

"Yeah," Cloud said slowly.

"Well, that isn't exactly true," Zack said. "I do know why Director Xemnas is after Roxas."

"Why is he after my son?" Cloud asked.

"It's kind of a long story and I'm not sure I fully understand it, but I'll try and explain," Zack answered. "When the scientists created the twins Hayden and Harou, they tinkered with their genetic structure, which, among other things, allowed them to bear children, even though they were both male.

"As you know, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, 22 regular chromosomes and 2 sex chromosomes. With the twins, instead of 2 sex chromosomes, they had three, XYB for Harou and xyb for Hayden. The B represents what's now known as the 'Bearer gene'. It's a dominant trait that causes a male to be a Bearer. Along with the Bearer gene came a mutation that caused anyone with that dominant trait to become prone to a new disease.

"This disease is dormant for the first decade or so of life, but activates when sexual maturity is reached. It varies a bit from Bearer to Bearer when the disease starts presenting because there are a few different strains of it that have evolved over time, but the result is always the same—the Bearer dies before the age of 20. Also, this mutation causes Bearers to be susceptible to something called amniotic fluid embolisms when they give birth. They have a 99.999% chance of dying from that. But not Roxas. And…" he hesitated for a moment. "And not you either."

"Me?" Cloud looked surprised.

"Yeah. You and Roxas are both affected by this. You have an even rarer genetic condition where basically, you have three sex chromosomes like the Twins instead of just two. Since you're Bearers, your sex chromosomes are XYB. They call this the 'Harou gene' because your genetic makeup is just like Harou's. Do you understand?"

Cloud frowned, but nodded. "I think so."

"All right," Zack said. "Because of your unique genetic makeup, you're able to survive the two genetic diseases that kill the other Bearers. And there's also a possibility that both of you can pass this onto your children, although it's very very rare.

"On the surface, this might seem like a good thing because you and Roxas hold the key to the Bearers' survival, but it's also really bad, you see? You and Roxas are now targets."

"Right." Cloud nodded. He seemed to be taking this all very well. "Do you think there's a credible threat against us?"

"I'm afraid so," Zack replied grimly. "Director Xemnas is the biggest threat right now. He and Dr. Vexen are both aware about you and Roxas. Right now, they haven't told anyone about this, but it's only a matter of time until it gets out.

"The other big threat is the High Council. When they do find out, there's a chance that there's going to be a power struggle between them and Director Xemnas and you and Roxas are going to be caught up in the middle of it. I don't want that to happen."

Cloud looked at him, his gaze calculating. "I trust you're going to do something about this?"

"Naturally," Zack said with a small smile. "I care about you and Roxas too damn much to just sit back and let Director Xemnas take control. I'm going to do what I can to protect the two of you."

"And what exactly does that entail?" Cloud asked.

"I'm still working on that," Zack admitted. "It's really hard to formulate a plan when we don't really know what Director Xemnas is going to do. But I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I can. In the meantime, I need you to be on your guard, all right?"

"Okay." Cloud nodded.

"Good." Zack leaned over and briefly kissed Cloud on the lips. "Look, I've gotta go. I'll come back and see you again soon, I promise."

"All right." Cloud only looked slightly pacified, but did not argue.

Zack left. He changed out of his guard uniform in the barracks and then headed out for the man's apartment in the nearest city.

The man was alone in his apartment when Zack arrived. They settled in the living room across from one another and regarded each other seriously for a few minutes.

Then, the man said, "I'm just gonna keep this brief, all right?"

"Sure," Zack responded.

"I've been reading the reports you've been sending me and I'm really worried," the man said.

"Yeah, I know," Zack replied. "I'm worried too. Director Xemnas is losing his grip on The Institute and it's gonna get nasty real soon."

"And he'll take Roxas," the man said quietly.

"Yes." Zack nodded. "He'll definitely target Roxas."

"He cannot get his hands on Roxas," the man said. "There's no telling what he will do to him. He doesn't care if people get hurt as long as he benefits from it." There was a hint of anger tinged in the man's voice that Zack had never heard before. "You need to be ready to act, Zack. Protecting Roxas, as well as Cloud, is our top priority. Can I count on you?"

"Of course," Zack replied earnestly.

"Good," the man said with a smile. "I will be ready to act as well. The High Council will soon be on recess until the end of the year. During that time, I'll be moving back here so I'll be nearby in case things go bad."

"All right," Zack said.

He rose from his seat and quickly took his leave. As he drove back to The Institute, he realized that he had neglected to tell the man that he had started to fill Cloud in on the situation. And he really didn't care.

Author's Notes

We're entering the endgame here. Sorry if there are errors. I've come down with some sort of a cold and I'm feeling very out of it. Also, I recently found out that my grandma has cancer.


	41. Chapter 41

Author's Notes: I am not having a good week. I was in a car accident on Tuesday morning and totaled my car. I'm working eight days in a row. But here's the second-to-last chapter. Please don't kill me.

Chapter 41

Before Roxas knew it, it was December, and it was time for him to see Dr. Vexen for an ultrasound. He was escorted to the medical facility by Axel, Bryan, and Vance. They were shown into the examination room by a grumpy nurse who didn't try and make conversation while she took Roxas's vital signs and asked him some standard questions.

"Dr. Vexen will be in shortly to see you," she said once she had finished.

She left without another word, shutting the door with a sharp snap behind her. Roxas sighed softly and leaned back.

"Why are you so nervous Roxas?" Axel asked.

"I…" Roxas sighed again. "I just hope everything is okay."

"I'm sure everything's gonna be fine," Axel said soothingly.

"Yeah," Bryan said, though his voice sounded hollow.

Axel looked at him in surprise. "You're worried too?"

"Well yeah," Bryan answered. "I've never done this before. It's weird, you know? I never thought I'd be a father and now all of a sudden…"

"Yeah," Axel agreed. "I know."

The minutes slowly went by and Dr. Vexen still did not show up. Axel became more and more agitated.

"Is it normal to wait this long?" Bryan asked Roxas in an undertone after they had waited for well over half an hour.

"No." Roxas shook his head. "Last time I had my ultrasound, we had to wait, but it was only for like ten minutes."

"Huh." Bryan frowned. "Weird."

At last, Vance, who had been standing in the corner with his arms crossed said, "I'm going to go see what's going on. Be right back." He flashed them all a grin and left. They heard him say, "What are you doing here, sir?" Then, they heard him gasp. "What the—?"

There was a gunshot and the sound of a body hitting the floor. Roxas screamed, then covered his mouth with his hands to stifle the scream. Bryan and Axel both jumped to their feet as the door opened. Director Xemnas entered with a large number of armed guards. Dr. Vexen entered behind them wearing an expression like a kicked puppy.

"What the hell do you want?" Axel demanded as he and Bryan stepped protectively in front of Roxas.

"Take them away," Director Xemnas snapped at the guards. "You have your orders."

"Yes sir," one of the guards said.

"Sir, I must protest," Dr. Vexen said, walking forward. "I don't think it's a good idea. I don't know what sort of an effect this will have on the Bond…"

"Shut up!" Director Xemnas roared at him.

Dr. Vexen shrank back at once. The guards stepped forward and took Bryan and Axel away, though they certainly did not go quietly. They fought the guards with all their strength, yelling and cursing as the guards forcibly dragged them out. Roxas sat on the examination table crying and begging the guards to stop.

Vance lay outside the examination room in a pool of blood, struggling to breathe. He gathered the little strength he had left and grabbed his radio from his jacket pocket. He didn't know how much time he had left, but he didn't think it was very much time.

"Zack! Zack!" he croaked into the radio.

A few seconds passed where he tried to catch his breath, then Zack replied, "What?"

"Director Xemnas has Roxas!" Vance choked out.

"What?" Zack demanded.

"He caught me off-guard in the med fac," Vance said. "Shot me and grabbed Axel and Bryan. Dunno where they're taking them, but I think they're gonna execute them. You've gotta save them!" He felt his breath growing shallower and his strength leaving him. "I'm so sorry Zack. I fucked up."

The last thing he ever heard was Zack yelling his name over the radio.

Zack suppressed the urge to curse, though not for long.

"God fucking damn it!" he roared, throwing his radio against the wall as hard as he could.

"What's wrong?" Cloud asked sleepily from the bed.

Zack looked at him and sighed. "You aren't gonna like what I'm gonna tell you."

"What is it?" Cloud asked, his voice suddenly turning anxious. "Is it Roxas?"

"Yeah." Zack nodded grimly. "It's Roxas."

Cloud inhaled sharply. "What's wrong?"

"Director Xemnas has Roxas," Zack replied. "He caught my man off-guard at the medical facility. Bryan and Axel have been taken away to god-only-knows-where and Roxas is in his custody."

"Fuck," Cloud swore under his breath. "How the hell could you screw this up so badly? I thought you said you were going to protect my son!"

"I told you I'd do the best I could!" Zack shouted, finally losing his temper. "I'm only one person after all. I can only do so much. But I swear to you I'm gonna do everything I can to set things right. You need to trust me, though, okay? You've gotta listen. We can't just go running off to go and save him; we've gotta come up with a plan or else we're going to get ourselves killed."

"All right," Cloud said. "So what's the plan?"

"First there's someone I've gotta call. He's an…acquaintance of mine who knows a hell of a lot more than either of us. I guess you can say he's in charge of things. I'll give him a call and we'll go from there, okay?"

"Okay," Cloud said, though he looked uneasy about the whole thing.

Zack left him in the bedroom and went to the living room to make the call. He dialed the man's number and paced around impatiently while he waited for the man to answer.

"C'mon pick up the phone," he muttered, cradling the phone to his ear as he marched around in agitation. "Pick it up, damn it!"

At last, the man said, "Hello?"

"It's me," Zack said curtly. "We got a huge problem. Director Xemnas has Roxas. You need to get your ass up here. Now."

"I understand," the man said. "I'm on my way." And he hung up.

The man arrived at The Institute in record time. Zack didn't ask him how he did it, though he suspected it had involved breaking multiple laws. This time, he did not bother trying to sneak around, but met Zack and Cloud at one of the many side entrances of The institute. He had his face concealed, though that did not surprise Zack at all. Cloud looked suspiciously at the man, but took the man's outstretched hand and politely shook it when it was offered to him.

"What are we gonna do?" Zack asked after he had brought the man up to speed on the situation.

The man took a deep breath. He was extremely calm when he spoke. "I want you and Cloud to try and find Director Xemnas. Right now, all I want you to do is follow him, all right? I don't want you two to put yourselves in danger. We need to know more about what's going on and the best way to do that is for you to follow him. All right?"

"What about you? What are you going to do?" Zack asked.

"I'm going after Bryan and Axel," the man answered.

"All right. Be careful man," Zack said.

"You do the same. Both of you," the man replied.

They parted ways. Zack sighed as he watched the man hurry off. He only hoped he could get to Bryan and Axel before it was too late.

Axel walked in silence, too hoarse from screaming to say anything. At some point, he was separated from Bryan, handcuffed, and marched through the narrow winding hallways that led to the back of The Institute. He could feel both Bryan and Roxas's anxieties through the Bond, though it was growing fainter, and that worried him.

He blinked and he was met with harsh winter sunlight. It was bitterly cold outside, but there was no snow. He was in a large, open field behind The Institute. There was absolutely nothing as far as he could see, which seemed to be for miles.

"Where do you wanna do it? Here?" One of the guards asked.

"No." Another guard shook his head. "Bit farther out."

They walked a short distance into the field and then stopped.

"On your knees," the first guard growled, jabbing Axel in the back with the butt of his gun.

Axel obediently kneeled down on the cold, hard ground. He had a feeling of what was coming, though he tried hard not to think about it. He really hoped it would be quick and painless. He closed his eyes and tried to keep his anxiety level to a minimum so it wouldn't affect Roxas and Bryan as he felt the barrel of a gun press to the back of his head. For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence, then—

The sound of multiple gunshots ringing through the air and bodies thudding on the ground caught Axel off-guard. He opened his eyes and looked up. Standing above him was a figure dressed in an oversized black hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled up to conceal their face. He (Axel assumed he was looking at a man unless he was looking at a very large woman) held a gun in his left hand and was surrounded by dead guards.

The person hastily stowed the gun in the waistband of his (or her) jeans and stepped forward. Axel watched apprehensively as the person kneeled down beside him.

"What are you—?" Before Axel could finish his sentence, his handcuffs sprang open.

"Are you all right, Axel?" a man's voice came from beneath the hood.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But who are you?" Axel asked.

As if answering his question, the man reached up and pushed back his hood. Axel did not know who the man was, though for some reason, he looked vaguely familiar. He had a thin, angular face worn down by years of hardship, high, narrow cheekbones, long vibrant red hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, and the bluest eyes Axel had ever seen. Axel stared at two old scars above his eyebrow on his left cheek while the man helped him to his feet.

"You still haven't told me who you are," he said, brushing dirt off his knees.

"I'm a friend," the man responded. "My name isn't important right now. We have to go save Bryan." He bent over one of the dead guards for a few moments. When he straightened up, he was holding the guard's gun.

"Here," he said, handing the gun to Axel. "You'll probably need this."

"Thanks," Axel said, his grip tightening on the gun handle.

"Let's go," the man said in a low voice. "I think I see them over there getting ready to execute Bryan."

He pointed a short distance away where they could see Bryan being forced to kneel down much like Axel had.

"We'd better hurry," the man muttered. "You got my back?"

"Yeah." Axel nodded.

The man smiled at him and drew his gun. Axel watched him jog off toward Bryan, then followed at a distance. The man swiftly disposed of the guards and bent down to free Bryan from his handcuffs. While he was occupied with that, one of the guards he had shot staggered to his feet. He drew his gun and aimed for the man. But Axel was faster. He flipped the safety off with practiced ease, aimed, and fired. The guard dropped. The man and Bryan looked up, startled.

"Nice shot," the man said. "Ah, got it!" The handcuffs sprang loose.

Bryan stood up and rubbed his sore wrists. Axel hurried over to him.

"You hurt?" he asked quietly. Bryan shook his head. Axel turned back to the man. "What the hell is going on here?"

"I don't have time to explain right now," the man hissed. "We've gotta hurry if we want to save Roxas. Now come on!"

He gave Bryan one of the dead guard's guns, then hurried off in the direction of The Institute. Bryan and Axel shared a bewildered look and then followed.

Roxas struggled down the hallway, held at gunpoint by Director Xemnas. Dr. Vexen walked beside them, still looking like a kicked puppy.

"Why are you doing this?" Roxas hissed, still struggling against Director Xemnas's hold.

"You're important Roxas, didn't you know?" Director Xemnas replied.

"No, I didn't know," Roxas said. "Why am I so important?"

"You have a certain extra gene that allows you to survive where other Bearers cannot," Director Xemnas explained. "You are not aware of this, but all Bearers die before the age of twenty. They either die in childbirth or from a rare genetic disorders that becomes…shall we say…active when they reach puberty and kills them."

"But not me?" Roxas asked.

"That's right," Director Xemnas answered. "The extra gene passed on to you by your father Cloud has enabled you to survive childbirth just as he was able to survive giving birth to you. So you see, you and Cloud hold the key to the survival of the Bearers. Even more than that, your genetic structure will open the door to many other possibilities. And I will use that to my advantage."

"So wait, if Cloud has the same funky gene thing that I do, then why aren't you going after him too? Why are you just targeting me?" Roxas asked.

"We could use Cloud, yes," Director Xemnas admitted. "However, you are much more valuable. You see, you were the only child Cloud could ever have. After you were born, Dr. Vexen examined Cloud and discovered that it was impossible for him to have any more children. You, however, not only got pregnant right away just like your father, you became pregnant again. And so, that makes you much more valuable to me."

"What are you gonna do to me?" Roxas demanded.

Director Xemnas smiled evilly at him. "You shall see soon enough. Oh yes, you shall certainly see."

The smug smile Director Xemnas wore quickly vanished when they reached the end of the hallway. Roxas's heart leapt. Standing there, blocking their path, were Cloud and Zack, both of them looking thoroughly pissed. Zack held a gun pointed steadily at them. Cloud was unarmed.

"Take him another way," Director Xemnas ordered, shoving Roxas at Dr. Vexen. "You'll have to go the long way, but you can still make it. My chopper is waiting." Dr. Vexen hesitated for a split second. "Go!"

"Sorry," Dr. Vexen muttered, grabbing Roxas by the arm, and dragging him down the hallway.

Roxas heard a gunshot followed by a loud scream and closed his eyes, feeling sick to his stomach. He didn't want to think about the fact that he might have just lost his father or his friend. When he opened his eyes again, his vision was blurred with tears.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked Dr. Vexen in a choked voice. "Are you in it for personal gain like Director Xemnas?"

"No." Dr. Vexen shook his head. "I'm doing this because it's what's best. The Bearers are on the brink of extinction and your genetic code might hold the key to their survival. I will do whatever it takes to ensure that they survive."

"Even if it means working for a complete goon like Director Xemnas?" Roxas asked sourly.

"Well yes, I suppose," Dr. Vexen said.

Roxas fell silent as they continued to walk down the hallway.

Cloud sat in the middle of the hallway with Zack in his lap.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured, stroking Zack's blood-stained hair. "I shouldn't have moved."

"Nah, it's okay," Zack said faintly. "He was probably gonna shoot us anyway, I'm just glad it was me and not you."

"I don't want you to die!" Cloud's breath hitched.

"Shh," Zack murmured. "It's okay. I don't mind goin' like this. Makes me feel heroic and shit." He chuckled weakly, then winced in pain." Cloud…" His voice was extremely gentle and when Cloud looked at him, his face was oddly serious. "Reno is Roxas's father, isn't he?"

Cloud could only nod, tears streaming down his face. Zack managed to smile at him one last time. Then, Cloud's echoing sobs were the only sound left in the hallway.

Author's Notes

Like I said, I had a car accident on Tuesday. I rear ended a guy. Luckily neither of us were hurt and his car was barely hurt. Mine however, is. Bad. And I'm working eight days in a row thanks to me getting sick last weekend and stupid manager deciding that everyone had to work on Tuesday (the day of my accident). And please don't kill me for this chapter.

Also, I found a boo-boo. Actually the lovely twilighttimefan found it for me. Dante was mentioned but he's an original character of mine. I must have mistyped it. It's Reno who's Roxas's father, not Dante. Ugh. And thanks twilighttimefan for pointing that out.


	42. Chapter 42

Author's Notes: This is the last chapter. Hope you all enjoy it and thank you so much to everyone who's left a review. I'll let the chapter speak for itself.

Chapter 42

Cloud sobbed until he thought his chest would tear apart. He cradled Zack's lifeless body in his arms for what seemed like an eternity, until his grief was replaced with rage. His sobs finally quieted, though his face was still wet with tears. He gently kissed Zack one last time, then carefully set his body on the ground.

"I'll always love you Zack," he promised.

He spied Zack's gun laying on the ground and went to retrieve it. He checked to make sure the weapon was fully loaded and then set off down the hallway.

Cloud only vaguely knew where the helipad was at The Institute, but by some miracle, he was able to find it with little difficulty. His heart leapt as he caught a glimpse of Roxas's face as he was dragged across the landing pad. Pale, streaked with tears, and utterly terrified, but he looked unharmed. Cloud waited in the doorway for a moment, hidden from view. He took a deep breath, then stepped out into Dr. Vexen's path and pointed his gun straight at Dr. Vexen's heart. Dr. Vexen stopped, his face suddenly turning ashen.

"Let him go," Cloud growled.

"N…no." Dr. Vexen shook his head.

"I said let him go!" Cloud raised his voice. "Let my son go or I swear right now I will end you."

"You wouldn't dare," Dr. Vexen said. "Not while I have Roxas. What if I just happen to slip and he gets in the way?" He grew more confident.

"You will be dead before you can even move," Cloud snarled. "Zack showed me how to shoot. I swear to god I will kill you if you don't get your fucking hands off my son!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a cool voice from the shadows said.

Before Cloud knew what was going on, he felt the barrel of a gun press to the back of his head. His breath caught in his throat.

"Drop it," Director Xemnas hissed in Cloud's ear. "Or I will blow your brains out in front of your son. Would you like that, Cloud? Would you like him to see his father die right in front of his eyes?"

Cloud obediently dropped the gun. It clattered loudly on the tarmac.

"Dr. Vexen, get on the chopper with Roxas," Director Xemnas ordered.

Roxas looked up at Dr. Vexen, tears streaking down his face. "Please don't do this. I beg you."

Dr. Vexen's lip trembled. "I'm sorry, Roxas."

He stepped around Cloud pushed Roxas into the waiting chopper. Cloud's heart sank as he watched. Director Xemnas and Dr. Vexen were about to get away with Roxas and there was nothing he could do but watch helplessly.

An angry shout filled the air. Cloud turned as Axel charged forward, followed closely by Bryan, and a man Cloud did not recognize. Director Xemnas grabbed Cloud and pointed his gun at his head. Axel, and the man stopped dead in their tracks.

"No one make a move or I'll blow out his brains," Director Xemnas snarled.

Axel, Bryan, and the man stayed perfectly still. Axel's breath caught in his throat. He could see Roxas already on the chopper and his instincts screamed at him to go after him, but he couldn't let Cloud get hurt. He stood there, torn, Bryan and the man by his side. Director Xemnas smiled smugly when he realized that they weren't go anywhere and took a step back, dragging Cloud along with him. The chopper's blades began rotating as it warmed up, readying for takeoff. Axel, Bryan, and the man watched helplessly as Director Xemnas slowly walked backward toward it, using Cloud as a shield to prevent them from retaliating. They reached the chopper. Director Xemnas boarded it, still holding onto Cloud. When he was safely aboard, he shoved Cloud out, causing him to fall roughly on the tarmac.

"Take off now!" they heard him shout at the pilot.

With a deafening roar, the chopper began to take off. As soon as Cloud was safely out of the way, Axel rushed forward.

"Axel, no!" Bryan yelled, rushing after him.

He grabbed his lover and held him back as Director Xemnas began shooting at them. By some miracle, all the bullets missed them. The man hurried forward to return fire, but the chopper was too far out of range.

"No! No!" Axel screamed, struggling against Bryan's hold. "Let me go! I've gotta go after him!"

"It's too late," Bryan replied. "They're gone."

"No! It can't be true!" Axel continued to scream over the roar of the chopper's engines. "Come back! Roxas! Roxas!" He broke down in sobs.

"I know. I know," Bryan whispered brokenly.

They fell to their knees, clinging to each other, as the sound of the chopper's engines slowly died away.

Axel did not look up until he heard soft footsteps on the tarmac. He was filled with an inexplicable rage at as the man walked over to them.

"Just who the hell are you?" he demanded.

"I'm…" the man began.

"Reno?" Everyone turned as Cloud walked forward, a look of absolute disbelief on his face.

For once, the man smiled for real. "Hey Cloud. How have you been?"

"No. This is impossible." Cloud's face went sheet white. "It…it can't be you. You're dead!"

Reno's grin widened. "Eh, not quite."

"I don't believe you," Cloud said, his voice rising in anger. "I refuse to believe it."

"All right." Reno sighed. He thought for a moment. "The first time we had sex was on the night of Christian's wake. I snuck some booze into the funeral home, we got drunk, and we snuck off to have sex in one of the viewing rooms. If I remember correctly, there was a little old lady laid out in a casket."

Cloud went completely still and his eyes widened even more. "You son of a bitch!"

He sprinted forward and slapped Reno across the face as hard as he could. Reno was hardly fazed.

"Damn, Cloud," he said, rubbing his jaw where Cloud had hit him. "Your punch is still as mean as hell."

"You fucking bastard!" Cloud shouted, raising his hand again.

This time, Reno was ready for him; he easily grabbed Cloud by the wrist and stopped him from lashing out at him a second time. Cloud let out a long string of profanities that made Axel and Bryan stare in shock. All the while, Reno just stood there, holding Cloud's wrist, while the blonde man cussed him out.

"How could you do this to me?" Cloud suddenly burst into sobs. "Why?"

"Shh. I know. I know." Reno drew him into his arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to put you or Roxas at risk."

Cloud sobbed for several long minutes before finally quieting. Reno still held him, gently rubbing his back.

"What the fuck is going on?" Axel demanded, walking forward, Bryan behind him.

"I'll explain, I promise," Reno said, finally pulling away from Cloud. "But there are a few things that need to be taken care of first."

As if on cue, several guards arrived. Axel's eyes narrowed and he raised his gun. Reno swiftly stepped between them.

"Easy there Axel," he said. Axel didn't move. "These guys are okay. They're on our side." Axel still did not budge.

"Axel," Bryan whispered in Axel's ear. "Put the gun down, okay? Just put it down."

Axel reluctantly lowered the gun. He wordlessly handed it to Bryan, who let it drop to the ground with a loud clatter. Satisfied, Reno turned back to the patiently waiting guards.

"What's the situation?" he asked.

"The Bearers and Breeders are being held in their respective dormitories," one of the guards answered. The High Council has been contacted. Everything is under control. We're waiting for further orders from you, sir."

"Keep holding the Bearers and Breeders in their dormitories unless they have to you know…go to the bathroom. And you should probably arrange for some food to be brought to them," Reno said.

"Yes sir." The guard saluted and left with his fellows.

Reno turned to the others. "We need to talk, I know, but I think it'd be a good idea for us to go somewhere a little more private." Cloud, Axel, and Bryan all nodded. "All right. Where should we go?"

"We can go to my apartment," Cloud suggested.

"Okay," Reno agreed.

They silently walked to Cloud's apartment. When they arrived, Reno immediately headed for the kitchen. With help from Cloud, he poured copious amounts of alcohol into four glasses. Bryan and Axel sat together on the couch and waited while Reno brought them each a glass. Cloud and Reno each took an armchair and they were silent while they drank.

At last, Reno said, "I guess it's time for an explanation, huh? Well, I guess we should start at the very beginning." He gave Cloud a pointed look.

Cloud seemed to get the hint because he stood. "It all begins, I suppose with Christian. Christian was my twin brother." He pushed several blonde curls out of his eyes. "Christian was gang raped when he and I were thirteen. He fell into a deep depression and killed himself three weeks later." He sighed, looking pained. "Reno and I had been friends since childhood and grew up together. So it was only natural for him to try and comfort me. He snuck some alcohol into the funeral home and we ended up getting drunk. And, as Reno already revealed…" He glared at Reno. "We had sex in one of the other viewing rooms at the funeral home on the night of Christian's wake. I became pregnant. I confronted my parents and found out that they had been hiding the fact that I was a Bearer. Feeling betrayed and confused, I ran away from home and somehow managed to find my way to The Institute. Even today, I'm not sure how I managed it. I told them that I didn't know who the father was even though I was sure it was Reno. I didn't want him to get involved in all this. They allowed me to stay and I gave birth to Roxas." He glanced at Reno.

"Okay. My turn." Reno took the floor. "In the meantime, I was trying to cope with the news that Cloud had run away. I had a few rough months there, but eventually, I was able to get my life back on track. I found a job at an auto repair shop. There I met Rufus ShinRa, the Chief of the Police Force. I ended up taking a job at the Police Force even though I had no experience whatsoever.

"I was partnered with a man named Rude. We were together for a couple years and then Rude was…murdered." He cleared his throat, a pained expression crossing his face. "I…uh…stumbled on the last thing Rude was working on, an investigation about Cloud and his son Roxas, and how they possibly had the genetic mutation necessary to save the dying Bearers.

"Rude took a DNA sample from Roxas and sent it off to be analyzed. I planned to finish Rude's work, but the Police Force found out and tried to have me silenced. I was barely able to escape.

"I ended up at The Institute where I met Cloud. He told me the truth about Roxas. I also met a young guard by the name of Zack. I told him pretty much everything, though there were a few things I left out. I knew that the Police Force would come after me and possibly put Roxas and Cloud at risk, so I enlisted Zack to help me fake my death.

"I went into hiding, though I wasn't completely hidden. I managed to rally others to my cause, some old friends of mine, people I knew could be trusted. They never knew who I really was, but they trusted me. They're currently lying in wait, ready to act if needed.

"I also worked with Roxas's DNA and helped to develop a drug to combat amniotic fluid embolisms so that Bearers would no longer die in childbirth. It was tested with great success on Zexion. Zack was the one who requested it. Because of him, Zexion was saved from certain death.

"After the incident with Zexion and Demyx, my team successfully killed one of the members of the High Council and I took his place. Since then, I've been serving on the High Council, pretending to be Rusty McCarthy.

"While I've been serving, I've uncovered evidence that several members on the High Council have been taking bribes from Director Xemnas. He's also been bribing the Police Force to turn a blind eye to what he's been doing at The Institute."

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked sharply. "What has he been doing?"

"Ever since he became Director here at The Institute, he's been using it towards his own means," Reno answered. "He's been picking and choosing who's bred with who in order to ensure that only the genes that will benefit him in the long run are passed onto the next generation. Do you understand?"

"No." Cloud shook his head.

Reno sighed. "Okay. Let me see if I can explain this. At The Institute, mates are carefully chosen by the High Council. They look at each Bearer and Breeder's DNA profile to see, for instance, if there are any sort of genetic diseases that run in their family. This is one to kind of ensure that any offspring they may have will survive.

"What Director Xemnas is doing—what almost all of the Directors at The Institute have been doing since it opened is taking that a step further. They carefully scrutinize the DNA profiles of all the Bearers and Breeders. They've developed an extremely intricate and complicated system of selecting only the Bearers and Breeders with the best genetics to breed. Over the years, they've been able to interbreed the Bearers and Breeders to make them more submissive, easier to bend to their will. So basically, Director Xemnas is creating a lot of followers.

"The biggest problem they face is that the Bearers are dying off. But now that they have Roxas, they can work around this. There's no telling what they're gonna do."

"So what do we do?" Cloud asked.

"For now, we wait," Reno answered.

"What?" Axel demanded angrily. "You expect us to just sit back and do nothing?"

"That's exactly what I expect you to do." Reno raised his voice. "And you wanna know why? Because charging into a situation like this where we hardly have any information at all will. Get. You. Killed. And you're no good to anyone dead."

"But Roxas…" Axel protested.

"…is a reasonably strong kid. He'll be okay," Reno cut in, his tone gentler now.

Axel still looked skeptical. Bryan stepped forward and placed his hand on Axel's shoulder. The two of them shared a long look filled with silent understanding.

"Fine," Axel finally said grudgingly.

"That's the spirit!" Reno said enthusiastically.

Axel glared at him.

"So what exactly are we gonna do?" Cloud asked. "I know you said we have to wait, but what does that entail exactly?"

"It's simple, really. For now, I have to go back to pretending that I'm Rusty McCarthy and sit on the High Council. If in fact they are working with Director Xemnas on some level, then I might be able to get some more information. Cloud, you've gotta just stay here for now until we get things sorted out."

"And what about us?" Axel asked.

"The two of you are supposed to be dead, so we have to keep it that way for now," Reno answered. "The two of you need to go into hiding. Don't worry, I've already got it all worked out. Of course, I had to adjust the plan when Bryan came into the picture, but that's beside the point." He gave Bryan a look. "Anyway, my point is that I've already made all the proper arrangements. Axel, you and Bryan will be staying with a couple of friends of mine who have agreed to take you in for the time being and hide you from pretty much the entire world. I'll give them a call and let them know you're ready to go."

"Wait a minute, what about all our things?" Bryan asked. "Will we have to leave everything behind?"

"No, of course not," Reno answered soothingly. "A couple of guards are already packing up all your things, including Roxas's possessions. Everything will be sent to the house separately to avoid suspicion. And now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a few phone calls to make."

And with that, he went into the bedroom, leaving Cloud, Axel, and Bryan in a bewildered silence. None of them spoke until after Reno returned almost half an hour later.

"My friends are on their way," he said. "They'll be here in about an hour."

They waited in complete silence.

At last, there was a soft knock on the door. Reno went to answer it. Outside, stood two men around Reno and Cloud's age. One of them was tall, thin, extremely serious, and blonde with midnight blue eyes. The other was smaller with mouse brown hair and hazel eyes.

"This is Alex…" Reno pointed to the blonde. "And his husband, Hunter. Alex, Hunter, I'd like you to meet Bryan and Axel." He pointed to each of them in turn.

"It's nice to meet you." Hunter smiled warmly.

"Hi there," Alex said. His gaze traveled from Axel and Bryan to Cloud and his eyes widened. "Cloud? Is that you?"

Cloud smiled sadly. "Yeah, it's me."

Alex stepped forward and threw his arms around Cloud. "I can't believe it's really you. I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

Axel and Bryan watched in shocked silence for a few moments and then turned to Hunter.

Hunter smiled. "Those two go back a long ways. Actually, the three of them do; they all grew up together. Let's let them catch up for a bit, huh?"

Bryan and Axel silently followed Hunter in the bedroom. For the first time, they saw that he was carrying a small black duffel bag. He set the bag on the neatly made bed and unzipped it.

"Here, put these clothes on," he said, pulling out two sets of clothes. "They should hopefully fit all right. I'll wait outside while you dress."

He left the clothes on the bed and disappeared back into the living room. Bryan and Axel shared a brief glance and then began to dress in the clothes provided for them. They had a pair of jeans, a black turtleneck, and white sneakers. When they had finished, they went back out to the living rom. Reno, Cloud, and Alex were deep in discussion about something. Hunter stood off to the side, listening. He was the first one to notice Axel and Bryan.

"Ah, you're ready," he said, walking forward. Axel merely nodded. "Good. So I guess it's time for us to go."

Alex sighed. "Yeah, you're right. We've got a long drive ahead of us after all." He got to his feet. "I'll give you a call once we've reached our destination, Reno."

"All right," Reno replied. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Alex smiled. "You too." He looked over at Cloud. "Good to see you again, Cloud."

"You too," Cloud said quietly.

Before Axel could say anything to either Cloud or Reno, he found himself herded out the door by Alex and Hunter.

They silently walked down the hallways of The Institute for what would be the last time. They came to a side door, one of many. Axel stopped in the doorway.

"I'll get you back, Roxas, I promise," he murmured.

He could almost hear Roxas reply, "I know. I'll be waiting."

Then, with Bryan by his side, he headed out into the cold, dark night.

Author's Notes

Um…please don't kill me for the ending? There's going to be a sequel. Eventually. It's fitting that I've finished this chapter the last week of the month. I'm dedicating the next month to working on some of my various writing projects including some of my fanfictions in progress. Then in November I'm doing NaNoWriMo and working on the sequel to this. Then December will be A Nobody's Christmas and then I'll work more on the sequel to this. There are also a bunch of side stories that will be posted eventually. Thanks everyone for all the support and reviews. I really appreciate it.


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